Leo’s views on media are the real fake news

ARE journalists petty, quick to take offence, a little precious and easily outraged? Some undeniably are. But are they unduly preoccupied with purveying falsehoods and abusing public trust for their own ends just to make politicians look bad? The answer is undeniably no. In any event, politicians need no assistance in making themselves look bad, as Taoiseach Leo Varadkar demonstrated in the US by aligning himself with Donald Trump, with whose views he sympathises on the media.

In throwing his lot in with the Commander-in-Chief of Fake News, Mr Varadkar has made a schoolboy error.

Had he confined himself to being frustrated at the outrage industry, that pounces on every faux pas and ignores critical policy or complex strategy issues, he might have a point. But he falls flat on his face, however, when he bemoans the fact that there are more political reporters in Leinster House than there are TDs.

Forget that newsrooms across the country have never been so depleted, it was disingenuous to draw attention to empty Dáil chambers because TDs don’t bother showing up. To suggest that journalists are not accountable is also wrong. They are answerable at all times and operate under draconian libel laws.

Recently, the veteran journalist Lesley Stahl of the CBS programme ‘60 Minutes’, revealed how Mr Trump told her that he bashes the press to “demean” and “discredit” reporters so that the public will not believe “negative stories” about him. Why would the Taoiseach risk associating himself with such views?

Dealing with prickly questions that scratch beneath the surface goes with the territory.

True, journalism can be pretentious. It has been described as the art of seduction and betrayal. At its best it is the eyes and ears of the public.

Mr Trump’s idea of a free press is a tame press, but that is not how democracy works.