Ron Martinelli, Ph. D.

Copyright (C) 01-03-17

It’s been over three weeks since Donald J. Trump won the Presidential election and eighteen days until he assumes the mantle as our nation’s 45^th President and the elite media still doesn’t “get it.” Get what? First, how Trump won the election over “Crooked Hillary” Clinton; and second, that they have rendered themselves irrelevant as the purveyors of news.

The mainstream media, its elitist celebrity talking heads, techno-geek political pollsters and “expert” pundits have only themselves to blame for their predicament. They consistently spoke with “forked tongues” in their vain attempt to secure the “fix” to ensure the coronation of Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Clinton, a resoundingly horrible candidate, never connected with fly-over states and Middle Americans who were frankly sick of liberal ideologues and movie stars from California and the Left Coast controlling America’s waning future. It was ultimately we “basket of irredeemable deplorables,” who effectively ended Clinton’s political career.

After eight years of watching President Obama and the incompetent surrogates of his leftist administration destroy the reputation and stature of the United States; Americans had had enough. Middle-class, blue collar and evangelical Americans saw what the “smarter than you” media never did – that a Hillary Clinton administration represented a third secular Obama term that cut those with traditional family values and the hard-working men and women out of America’s economic future. The domestic and international policies of President Obama not only turned America into a debtor nation; but significantly reduced our stature in the eyes of our allies; while enabling and empowering our enemies.

Enough was enough. Middle and working class Americans desperately wanted out of the Obama nightmare. We knew it, but the mainstream media never caught on because they had lost touch with us. Media celebrities were encapsulated in the fantasy worlds of Hollyweird and Washington’s beltway that extends northwards to the media capital of New York. If you have ever visited these places, you know that New York, Washington and Los Angeles are not where the true heart and soul of America lies.

What was unimaginable to the ruling elite media talking heads, was that middle Americans could have cared less about the media-inspired “Trump Controversies” such as his disagreement with a former Latina Miss America; his comments about Vietnam War POW, turned mediocre career politician John McCain (Rep. NM); his repeated rails against criminal illegal alien criminals; and his assertive calls for a temporary ban on Muslims coming from war-torn countries where Islamic terrorism is rampant. In fact, the truth emerged as evidenced by Trump’s solid victory in the election, that many Americans agree with now President-elect Trump.

Americans have finally made their voices heard. We want our country back. We hate do-nothing career politicians in Washington who have created a national economic malaise. We don’t want open borders that each day brings America closer to the lower standards of a Third World country. We want Americans employed instead of illegal aliens and uneducated, low-skilled refugees. We are tired of “pressing 1 for English.” We are intolerant of a leftist, secular administration that disrespects our Judeo-Christian religious heritage, traditional family values; and instead forwards and enables gender-neutral bathrooms. Finally, we have come to despise the Fourth Estate, who has repeatedly proven itself to be dishonest and uniquely biased in supporting without questions the worst President in American history; while forwarding and enabling blatantly corrupt, dishonest and untrustworthy politicians like Hillary Clinton.

Yes, America’s “deplorables” have resoundingly expressed their disdain for a lying, elitist celebrity media. A recent poll taken after the election shows that only 6% of Americans polled found our national news media a credible source for news. That is very troubling if you are the CEO of a major national news outlet; be it print, electronic, TV or radio. However, you would never know it if you read, watch and/or listen to these news sources after the election. Like I said; they just don’t get it.

Relatively few media talking heads are willing to concede that they continue to be complicit in forwarding the political and societal false narratives that have created and exacerbated the racial, cultural, religious, and economic class divisions we have seen in our country during the past eight years. For instance, they refuse to acknowledge that it was a biased and uninformed media that spread the false narratives of the Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and Freddie Gray cases that created the violent, anti-law enforcement and Marxist Black Lives Matter movement. Biased and inaccurate reporting by the mainstream media and the violent rhetoric of the Black Lives Matter movement have contributed to the highest murder rate of law enforcement officers since the 1930’s; riots in several of our nation’s largest cities; and the burning and looting of black owned businesses.

The election of Donald Trump is a signal that Americans want change and that we want to make America great again. The irredeemable deplorables have initiated the redemption of America.

The Media Paradigm Shift

Where the media has a comprehension problem regarding their credibility gap with the American public; President-elect Donald Trump “gets it.” The soon to be President, who was already a very successful, astute businessman and media personality before he announced his intent to run for the Presidency, is way ahead of the media wave. He long ago figured out that in today’s rapidly-evolving, techno-savvy and highly competitive social media environment, any form of media that does not resonate with the public, quickly renders themselves irrelevant.

In short, President-elect Trump knows that the media needs him far more than he needs them. He and his new press team know that today, fewer millennials get their breaking news from local and national media outlets such as newspapers and television. A growing wave of Americans get their news sound bites via social media and cell phone apps. President-elect Trump has learned that he can much better control his message by talking directly with the public through Twitter, Facebook, and video sound bites. This is a quicker and more accurate way to communicate with the public than allowing a dishonest anti-Trump media to edit and publish a biased rendition of what he actually said as factual “news.” This is a huge paradigm shift for an already confused and reeling news media now searching for relevancy. Most Americans are not interested in biased “gotcha” questions and spoon-fed opinions of uber-liberal news media celebrities. We simply want accurate news, no matter what the source. We are smart enough to make our own decisions as to how news affects our lives. We don’t need the media’s help.

The media’s future in a President Trump administration is in question

As a frequent guest commentator on national television and radio networks, I hope that President-elect Trump’s press team really shakes things up with the elitist Washington Press Corps. If I had the President’s ear, I would advise him to make the following changes:

1. End the age-old reporter seniority system – The current practice where White House reporters are given preference in seating and asking questions during the daily press briefings has created a caste system of media celebrity elites who garner more attention than they deserve. Give no preference to seniority. Instead, open the press room to credible, influential and better informed social media news bloggers and other reporters who value ethics in journalism.

2. Vet reporters for honesty and truthful reporting – As President-elect Trump has often stated, many reporters are overtly biased and dishonest in their presentation of the news. While journalists may have a First Amendment right regarding how they present news and commentary; the public should have an equal right to receiving fair, factually accurate and honest news. I would recommend that the President-elect’s press team establish a list of reporters attending press briefings who have been vetted for their honest and accurate presentation of news stories. The press has no legal right of access to the press briefing room and the public deserves nothing less than to have their news reported accurately; no matter what the politics of the reporter, or the audience.

3. Hold press briefings based upon importance and news worthiness; not on custom – The news media is their own self-serving industry. They decide on what topics, issues and incidents constitute “news.” When the media is biased, they and not the news maker control the message. That’s just wrong because important messages are often discarded when a biased reporter or editor selects their version of the narrative to present to the public. President-elect Trump and his press team would be better served in their goal to inform the public as to what a President Trump administration is doing, by limiting press briefings and Presidential interviews to occasions when the President has something of import to say. There is a such a thing as “over-exposure.” The public is far more interested in the President’s accomplishments and progress than the daily tedious ritual of “make work reporting.”

4. Maintain the careful and considered use of social media – President-elect Trump is the master of the 140-character Twitter news bite. He has tens of millions of followers and his use of social media has been brilliant to date. He shouldn’t change a method of communication that has proven to be highly successful for him. I would only caution that once he becomes “President Trump,” that his continued use of Twitter, Facebook and other forms of social media should be judicious and done with great care and consideration because words matter. His new social media secretaries should be fully engaged in reviewing and perhaps even in massaging the new President’s messages. Social media is an excellent way of staying ahead of the press corps because President Trump will not only always be able to scoop them all on breaking news stories; but get his narrative out first.

Hopefully, President Trump’s paradigm shift for the national media will usher in a new era of accountability and accuracy in reporting. It will no doubt be a bitter pill for the media elite to swallow; but a sick industry needs this type of medication. If they fight against accountability to the public, they will ultimately render themselves irrelevant in American society.

About the Author

Ron Martinelli, Ph.D., CMI-V, is a nationally renowned forensic criminologist and police expert who provides media consulting and expert commentary to several national TV, radio and print news outlets such as FOX News, OANN, CNN, HLN, CCTV and USA Today. He is the author of “The Truth Behind the Black Lives Matter Movement and the War on Police,” (Amazon.com).   His forensic/law enforcement blog is found at www.DrRonMartinelli.com.