Political Theater in 2023: What Role Will Broadcast and Cable News Play?

quotThe production of a political melodrama staged in a courtroom in Moscow Prague or Budapest needs amp8230 painstaking preparation just as a musical show or a motion picture does only more soquot the famed journalist Arthur Koestler wrote in 1951 in his preface to The Accused The book by Koestleramp8217s friend Alexander Weissberg analyzed the Soviet show trials of the 1930s Weissberg knew the subject well Arrested and compelled to confess to bizarre lies he was fortunate to survive in the hands of the secret police during Stalinamp8217s Great PurgeKoestler couldnamp8217t have characterized better the Republicansamp8217 coming attractions if they win a House or Senate majority next month A chorus line of GOPers already has promised multiple investigations of President Bidenamp8217s administration including threats of impeachment in 2023 Given the predictable role Fox News as well as other far right imitators and social media will play itamp8217s a casting call for real journalists The question is are they up to covering the coming political theater including its bogus claims misrepresentations and liesThe GOPamp8217s proposed playbill covers serious topics such as the chaotic exit from Afghanistan the immigration deluge and how trillions in pandemicrelated outlays were spent Opposition controlled legislatures legitimately challenge the Executive Branch and Congress can provide critical oversight if policy rather than politics sets its script Take Afghanistan Hearings that dig into not only the US pullout but also the withdrawal deadline in President Trumpamp8217s illconceived deal with the Taliban could educate and add value That said donamp8217t hold your breath A letter this month from 31 Republican senators suggests whatamp8217s actually top of GOP mindsNotwithstanding recession climate change Russiaamp8217s war on Ukraine and Chinaamp8217s rise the 31 Republicans apparently see the countryamp8217s biggest challenge in President Bidenamp8217s family tree Theyamp8217re calling on the Attorney General to turn the US attorney investigating Hunter Biden for his Ukraine and China connections into a special prosecutor Like the twoyearlong Benghazi House investigation that targeted Hillary Clinton during her 2016 presidential campaign the GOP missive suggests the senators expect raves from their faithful in 2024 if they can just keep Bidenamp8217s son on center stageInvite job candidates to apply live during the Media and Advertising Community39s Black Talent Outreach Week at MediaVillagecom and AdvancingDiversityorg October 1720 Apply for jobssubmit your resume hereamp160Hunter also is only the start Teasing their investigative plans the senatorsamp8217 letter offers their list of the Biden administration transgressions the FBIamp8217s search of Mar a Lago for stolen top secret documents the Gmenamp8217s threat to parents who speak out at school board meetings against critical race theory and mask mandates the fedsamp8217 blind eye turned to the perils facing antiabortion activists and the Justice Departmentamp8217s misguided inquiry into statelevel efforts to ensure election security because they actually might be a ploy to suppress votersamp8217 rightsWhich concocted faults and alleged failings will make the final cut if the GOP wins the House or Senate remains to be seen But clearly no Republican on Capitol Hill searching for a windmill to tilt will find the landscape wanting The GOPamp8217s far right fringe also may well add more Congressional candidates who are beholden to Trump for example are pushing his stolen election lie election deniers have been chosen as Republican Senate or House candidates in 27 states Meanwhile incumbent House Republicans already are targeting the January 6th Committee threatening to subpoena its records on the Trump inspired insurrection in order to do whatever they can to undermine the findingReal world events arenamp8217t likely to deter the GOP from making a November victory into curtain up on their political theater Trump acolyte Matt Gaetz said so this week The Florida congressman disavowed interest in legislating next year asserting it was time for investigations to settle scores With sidekicks like Marjorie Taylor Greene Louie Gohmert and Paul Gosar the show will conjure Monty Python Or Mitch McConnell In 2010 as Americans struggled after the financial crisis the thenSenate majority leader averred the GOP priority had nothing to do with such problems It was he said to ensure Barack Obama served only one termObamaamp8217s reelection or not McConnell and company certainly gave it the old college try According to a Washington Post analysis in 2019 the Republican controlled House aimed seven of the 13 major multiyear congressional investigations between 2010 and 2018 at the Obama administration or Obama himself Reporters of course would say they handled the hype Good journalism as well as the news mediaamp8217s competition can sort facts from falsehoods helping to ensure that ultimately truth will outMaybe so But like Broadway revivals the plot characters and script in the GOPamp8217s 2023 drama arenamp8217t a secret Nor is the challenge for television reporting when spectacle not substance shapes the news Fox and the other news media on stage right know their lines and are ready for opening night The question is what role will the rest of broadcast and cable journalism playClick the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friendsThe opinions expressed here are the author39s views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet

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Political Theater in 2023: What Role Will Broadcast and Cable News Play?

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Kent M. Harrington

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