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Scott Pelley on press freedom — "there is no democracy without journalism"
100k ft — What is this?
Scott Pelley on press freedom — "there is no democracy without journalism"
50k ft — Why care?
A clip from Scott Pelley's New York Times interview with Lulu Garcia-Navarro, responding to Trump calling him a stiff who doesn't care about the country. He cites covering combat in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait and argues a free press is required for an informed public. Commentary, not analysis.
10k ft — Key takeaways
• Judge reporting by facts, not by whether you like the messenger
5k ft — Tools & techniques
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1k ft — Deep-dive / try it
There Is No Democracy Without Journalism
Scott Pelley was asked about President Trump reportedly calling him a “stiff” and suggesting he was among people who “don’t care about the country.”
His response wasn’t about politics.
It was about service.
Pelley pointed to years spent covering wars alongside American troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait before making a broader point:
“There is no democracy without journalism. It can’t be done.”
Whether you agree with a journalist’s reporting or not, a free press is one of the institutions that allows citizens to hold power accountable.
The danger comes when we begin treating information like a menu—accepting facts from people we like and dismissing them from people we don’t.
We don’t build an informed society by hearing only voices that…
Transcript excerpt
President Trump reacted to your being fired. Did he? He went on a podcast and called you a stiff. I'm surprised I'm not the president of the United States would bother to notice, but okay, please tell me I'm not aware of this He also said you were part of this gang of stupid crooked people that don't care about your country Stupid I can I can take that stiff. Yeah, probably Don't care about the country I've never warned the uniform, but I've been in combat for this country in Afghanistan and Iraq Kuwait Then shot at Spent nights and foxholes filling up with water in the desert. I'm not aware that the president of the United States has ever done any of those things for his country Please correct me if I'm wrong. You've become a journalist Because you love the first amendment You become a journalist because you love the country and while all the other descriptions that the president used about me might be applicable Not that one. There is no democracy without journalism It can't be done and that is why I am a journalist You know on Fox News are gonna just run the parts where I'm crying and say I'm a lunatic The arrow we live in it is the arrow we live in