A Test for the Media: Cover the March for Life

Terry Schilling, executive director of American Principles Project, offers a simple challenge to the media that has had a severe credibility problem – cover the March for Life like you did the Women’s March on Washington.

In a statement released yesterday he said.

Americans are growing increasingly skeptical of the mainstream media. This is happening for a legitimate reason. Media executives and political reporters would be wise to acknowledge this phenomenon and commit to a little self-examination.

This weekend we saw an incredible case of anti-Trump, anti-conservative bias with the breathless coverage of the pro-abortion, non-inclusive ‘Women’s March on Washington’. This event received wall-to-wall coverage, with lionizing words like ‘historic’ repeated in headlines ad nauseum.

But every year, when the March for Life attracts hundreds of thousands of dedicated pro-life activists to Washington, D.C., political reporters tend to ignore it entirely.

If the media wants to continue to be seen as a propaganda arm of the Democratic Party, ignore the march as usual. But if journalists are serious about improving their perceived objectivity and serving the American people at large, they should show up this Friday and give the tremendous pro-life crowds the news cycle they warrant.

This is a defining year for the pro-life movement. With a Republican House, Senate, and President, pro-life legislative goals are about to become pro-life legislative realities. The story is significant. Cover the March for Life.

Gallup last fall reported a poll that showed Americans’ trust in the mass media was at an all-time low.  Only 32 percent said they have a “great deal” or “fair amount” of trust in the media. This is down eight points from 2015 which is also low.

If they keep going they’ll have the same approval rating as Congress.

Seriously, this is a simple thing – cover the March for Life. They can demonstrate impartiality or they can continue to prove what many of us already think they’re just in the tank for liberal causes and the Democratic Party.

We’ll be watching.