1. Monthly archive
  2. February 2017

February 2017

President Trump blames Obama for protests, leaks

President Donald Trump blamed former President Barack Obama for protests against him and Republican lawmakers at recent town halls, as well as for leaks from the White House. “I think President Obama’s behind it, because his people are certainly behind it,” Trump said. “And some of the leaks possibly come from that group. You know, some of the leaks, which are really very serious leaks, because they’re very bad in terms of national security, but I also understand that’s politics. And in terms of him being behind things, that’s politics, and it will probably continue.”

President Says He Tweets to Bypass 'Dishonest' Media

President Donald Trump says that he tweets to "get around the dishonest media," and if he felt all or most of the media were honest, he wouldn't do it. Asked if there was a method to his tweeting or whether he was just letting off steam, the President suggested it was neither. "No method, really. It's just—it's not venting either…" he said. "But it does allow me to go around dishonest media. I don't have to go around you folks. I don't have to go around a lot of the media. But I do have to go around some media. And it does allow me to do that because the following is so large, between Twitter and Facebook and all of the different things. I have so many millions of people, it allows me to give a message without necessarily having to go through people where I'm giving them a message and they're putting it down differently from what I mean."

Trump gives himself a ‘C or C+’ grade for communicating with the public: Needs improvement

Hours before delivering his first joint address to both houses of Congress, President Doanld Trump offered a candid assessment of the job his administration has done in explaining his policies to the American people. Asked to grade his job performance thus far in his presidency, Trump offered high marks for his accomplishments, but he gave himself a “C” for messaging, conceding that he has not been able to properly explain what he's done. "In terms of messaging, I would give myself a C or a C plus,” Trump said. “In terms of achievement, I think I'd give myself an A. Because I think I've done great things, but I don't think I have — I and my people, I don't think we've explained it well enough to the American public.”

Can donor-funded newsrooms be truly independent?

[Commentary] Around the world, media outlets are taking millions of dollars from private donors and foundations in order to pay for news. But in a world where news credibility has become a burning issue and government leaders in Hungary, Turkey, Venezuela, and the US (among others) have gone on the attack against journalism, the question of funding sources and the effect they have on media independence is an important one.

Funding quality journalism and giving reporters the resources to carry out important work is critical. Many of the publications that receive donor funds uncover important stories overlooked by mainstream publications, and many wouldn’t exist without foundations. But as donor-media relationships increase and with it editorial influence by foundations, it’s crucial to have a thorough understanding of how this financial model influences news coverage. Best practices may help to make the model of donor funding media better for both sides and help protect independent media.

[Anya Schiffrin is the director of the Technology, Media and Communications specialization at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. ]

How Long Can Border Agents Keep Your Email Password?

When you cross into or out of the United States, whether in a car or at an airport, you enter a special zone where federal agents have unusual powers to search your belongings—powers they don’t have elsewhere in the country. The high standard set by the Fourth Amendment, which protects people against unreasonable searches, is lowered, and the Fifth Amendment, which guards against self-incrimination and prevents the government from demanding computer passwords or smartphone PINs, is rendered less effective. The rules around what information can be retained after Customs and Border Protection inspections—and for how long—aren’t entirely clear-cut.

Cambodian Government Cites Trump in Threatening Foreign News Outlets

In a sign that President Donald Trump’s criticism of the news media may be having a ripple effect overseas, a government spokesman in Cambodia has cited the American leader in threatening to shutter foreign news outlets, including some that receive money from Washington. The spokesman, Phay Siphan, said that foreign news groups, including the United States-financed Voice of America and Radio Free Asia, should “reconsider” how they broadcast — or risk a government response if their reports are deemed to spread disinformation or threaten peace and stability.

The White House decision to bar several news outlets, including The New York Times, CNN and Politico, from a briefing last week, Phay Siphan said in a Facebook post, “sends a clear message” that President Trump “sees that news broadcast by those media outlets does not reflect the truth, which is the responsibility of professional journalists.” “Freedom of expression,” he wrote, “is subject to the law and must respect the state’s power.”

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