ABC, CBS, PBS, NBC, CNN, and affiliates: Stop platforming Trump!
The petition to ABC, CBS, PBS, NBC, CNN, and affiliates reads:
Mainstream media cannot keep giving Donald Trump airtime to spread his misogynistic, bigoted, and xenophobic ideologies. His sexism and racism are a direct threat to our democracy and the safety of all women, BIPOC, trans and nonbinary people, and LGBTQ+ people. We can't let his hateful and misogynistic ideologies get more airtime, especially ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
Why is this important?
Major news outlets and affiliates need to stop gifting Donald Trump free airtime and a platform for his lies. Repeatedly, the misogynist and insurrectionist has proven unable to tell the truth; thus letting him speak on-air is incompatible with ethical journalism and a healthy democracy.
Most recently, on Sunday, September 17, the former president was welcomed onto NBC for a primetime tirade. Despite the best efforts of NBC's "Meet The Press" interviewer, Kristen Welker, Trump's 1.5 hour-long "interview" was more of a primetime display of his sexist and xenophobic views, inability to tell the truth, and obsession with himself.
Despite Trump's well-documented history of using the media to advance his lies and nonsensical and extreme agenda, the media cannot stop awarding him with free airtime. Trump used this media opportunity on NBC to spread disinformation and lies on a wide range of pressing social issues, from abortion care and racial justice to climate change and foreign policy.
What we saw on NBC was not serious political discourse or journalism. If anything, it showed us just how low mainstream media is willing to go to boost ratings. We can't let news media corporations continue to prioritize ratings over our democracy. The presidential primaries are months away, and even before a single voter has cast a ballot, NBC--just like CNN--has christened Trump with frontrunner status and allowed him to run his mouth for over an hour during evening primetime. If Trump indeed becomes the GOP presidential nominee, he will be the country's first presidential candidate to have:
- Incited a bloody insurrection on the nation's Capitol.
- Been found liable for sexual assault and defamation.
- Faced numerous lawsuits on other improprieties.
- Proudly talked about being a rapist, on record.
Despite all of this and Trump's hateful vitriol, well-respected news organizations, like NBC, are continuing to validate Trump and give him a platform to share his hate.
Add your name to the petition demanding mainstream media stop enabling Trump’s hate!