Below is an excerpt from an op-ed by Roger Ream that originally appeared in National Review Online. You can find the entire article here.
NBC’s firing of former Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, days after hiring her as a political analyst for the 2024 election, is shocking but not surprising. Despite being a major news network, NBC is still a private company that may hire and fire employees as it pleases, especially as relates to the company’s bottom line or reputation. Plus, anyone who watched the parade of powerful NBC journalists, anchors, and talking heads — McDaniel’s new colleagues — rush to condemn her must have seen the writing on the wall.
However, this sordid episode reflects truly troubling ways that the U.S. media landscape has changed for the worse. It also points to an ironic but sad development in journalism: the declining commitment to the spirit of core American principles — free expression and diversity of opinion — among journalists themselves.
At a time when American journalism faces existential threats — an outdated business model, the rise of social media, and a decline in public trust — the McDaniel controversy risks making this important institution even more irrelevant for large sections of the country. Despite its current flaws, a free press is still vitally important for our system of government, which depends on a well-informed public.