The Reoccurring Theme of America

Rollercoaster of Emotions

Good Night and Good Luck is a film that follows the journalist Edward R. Murrow and his team on the show, "See It Now," as they openly denounce the actions of Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy. Working closely with Fred Friendly, his producer, and the reporter, Joseph Wershba, Murrow decides to criticize McCarthy's actions despite CBS (the network the show played on), not liking this idea. 

Despite multiple warnings from executives, sponsors, and even some Colonels, Murrow and his team run the story about McCarthy and even offer an opportunity for him to respond to the accusations. He takes the show up on the offer and calls Murrow and his colleagues communists. At the midpoint of the movie, this seems to be the worst that can happen to the journalists. 

Taken from Roger Ebert's website. The two actors playing Fred Friendly and Edward Murrow.

In a sad turn of events, not only does a close friend of Murrow and the team commit suicide due to the hateful stories produced about him being a possible communist, but the show is cut in half, moved to a different night, and only has five episodes left, and one reporter is fired for being married to another reporter on the team (because coworkers can't be married). The film leads you up to think that a happy ending is coming after these journalists took a huge risk to criticize a senator, but within the last 15 minutes, the movie lets you remember that journalists are almost always the scapegoat in times like these.

Censorship and Journalists

It's hard to not connect this back to how reporters were silenced during the Civil War. As mentioned before, it happens any time there is a national security threat to our nation. The censorship of the press is a reoccurring theme for the story of the United States. It is a transhistorical theme. Taking a look into America's past shows time and time again the restriction of the press during historical periods is something that has not let up since the beginning of our country.

McCarthy was on a true witch-hunt when it came to accusing anybody of being a communist. His fear surpassed his need for the truth, as he often would never have significant evidence of someone being a communist when he accused him. But, his fear that someone could be a communist and attack him/the government/America outweighed any effort to find the truth.

McCarthy's fear reminds me of the fear Americans had towards anyone who could be a terrorist after the attacks on 9/11. Granted, I was a month shy of being four years old when the twin towers fell, so I can't tell you about the media immediately after the tragedy. But, I can tell you about growing up in my hometown and watching people judge anyone who wasn't white, a Christian, and a patriot. The judgment that followed any person with brown skin, or a headscarf, or practiced Islam was heavy after 9/11 and has only let up a little since that day in 2011. I imagine McCarthy held the same judgment towards those who "looked or acted" like a communist.

Same Victim, Different Eras

When the country is in danger, it's easy to find someone to blame for causing that fear. Instead of targeting communists, or Muslims, or confederates, citizens of the United States have turned their sights on the media.

With COVID-19 arriving in January of this year, the public has had a bird's eye of view of the government reacting to the virus and to the media. Warnings came fast from China and Italy about the havoc that the virus could cause. In a story posted on March 19, 2020, The New York Times explains that deaths from Italy have surpassed China because Italy chose not to shut down their country like China did.

Less than a month before the NYT article came out (February 28), at a rally in my home state of South Carolina, Trump told the guests that the COVID-19 pandemic was actually a hoax. But, the media didn't let up on producing stories and statistics about the harmful effects the virus would bring to America.












Yet, Trump would often criticize reporters that would mention his lack of concern about the virus compared to how he acts now by claiming the virus is a pandemic and something to be concerned about. It's hard to not be concerned when the numbers are alarming.

What is the public supposed to believe when the president of our nation is saying one thing and the media saying another? Trump has single-handedly turned the press into a villain, simply because most of the press contradicts what he says. It isn't just CNN shining light on the lack of knowledge Trump has. It's a sum of networks that don't care if people on Facebook are blaming the media for causing panic about the virus. Journalists shouldn't be fearful of the leader of their country because he has the ability to chastise reporters in front of their peers and the public.

Who wouldn't be afraid to question Trump's contradictory statements when the president reacts like that in the story above? To a degree, journalists are experiencing the chilling effect due to Trump criticizing any reporter who questions him and his knowledge.

Trump is forgetting that the media can break or make a person though. Without the influence from "See It Now," would the US Senate have investigated McCarthy? Without the influence of the media, would Trump have taken the virus more seriously? The media influences everyday decisions that the public makes, including decisions on who to elect to represent them. Trump needs to keep in mind that the government only gets its power from the people. The media is the messenger when it comes to the government and without it, who knows where the government would be?

Murrow makes a great point during a speech in 1958 about the power of the television. He says that if it isn't used to teach or to inspire people, then "Otherwise, it is merely wires and lights in a box." More than half a century later, I think the media has done just that. The media has educated and inspired people. As I enter the real world in just a couple of days, I hope I too can inspire and educate to the extent that Edward Murrow did.

Civil War and the Press

Advancements in Technology

It is crazy to think that at one point in time, the news wasn't at your fingertips. Before the invention of the telegraph and railroads, a lot of the press released information that had happened a week before or so. But with these inventions, the news was circulating much faster than before.

"In an Atlantic Monthly essay titled "Bread and the Newspaper," published in September 1861, Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. dubs the Civil War communications network "our national nervous system."1 Dr. Holmes speculates that the "iron nerve pathways" of the newspaper and telegraph and the "iron muscles" of the railroad, animated by the force of war, have created a superhuman national body" (Richards). 

Without experiencing the war firsthand, the nation was only able to learn about what was happening on the battlefield through the press. It became vital for readers to remain informed. With the inventions of the railroad and the telegraph and the fact that journalists were often eyewitnesses to what they wrote about, the press transformed into a new, faster, and reliable version of its previous self. Bulla and Borchard claim that "news moved from being an editor's personal political interpretation of events to being a matter of fact."

Journalists still had faults though and even published false stories. Risley writes that many "Reporters [were] less concerned with the facts and more interested in rushing stories into print wrote damaging stories that hurt their side. 

North and South Newspapers

Both sides held similar standards when it came to publishing information about the war. With the help of the Associated Press, the North wished for their newspapers to remain unbiased and accurate. The South had the help of the Press Association of the Confederate States of America. The PA encouraged their writers to be free of opinion and rumors (Risley).

A large problem during the Civil War were newspapers leaking information about battle plans. This happened on both sides, but more on the northern side. The South made a point to only include information that the North already knew about. The North had lots of information always being printed in their papers, while the South had less activity and stricter control of information that was allowed (Randall). 

From the National Archives, this photo is Winter quarters; soldiers in front of their wooden hut, "Pine Cottage."

The North also included lots of images and illustrations of the war that the South did not. Due to less manpower and less activity in newspapers, the South lacked images that the North had. Readers wished to see what the war looked like since most readers weren't on the front lines (Risley).

According to the article "The Confederate Press and Public Morale" written by J. Cutler Andrews, at the start of the war, journalists were extremely optimistic and supported the Confederacy. But as time passed and the South began losing, a lot of journalists would sugarcoat the losses the South was taking. Andrews explains that the newspapers were to put on "a good face on the deteriorating military situation." 

Without the birth of the telegram and railroads, the press surrounding the Civil War could have turned out a lot different. Even though the North and South had different approaches when it came to journalism, it is clear that the press offered a bird's eye view of the war that the public ate up. 

Civil War, Lincoln, and the Press

The Restriction of Civil Liberties 

During the Civil War, President Lincoln enforced Union generals to stop newspapers from publishing battle plans. He did this to also prevent those who sided with the Confederacy from leaking information to the South. 

Oftentimes, the press would make the public question Lincoln's competence and his antislavery mission (Holzer, 2014, p. 227). Lincoln hoped that restricting the press would help the North win the war, but it was difficult to do so when many did not appreciate Lincoln infringing on American's constitutional rights to freedom of the press and freedom of speech. Lincoln's Democratic opponents strongly believed that the right to free press and speech should always be absolute, no matter if it led to a revolt of the people (Holzer, 2014, p. 33).

Examples of Infringing on Rights

Many people were not happy to see Lincoln win the presidency, as they knew he would fight for the end of slavery. In December of 1860, the New York Herald claimed that "bloody carnage will inaugurate his presidency" due to the civil war over slavery.

Lincoln had supporters too. After a grand jury in New York and New Jersey, many postmasters collected newspapers that opposed the war. Some newspapers outright named the publications that were against the war in the North. For example, The Christian Ambassador published an article called "Disloyal Religious Newspapers," where the publication named Freeman's Journals as disloyal and supporting the overthrow of the lawful government. 

Later on, the Secretary of State William Seward would order the arrest of an editor for Freeman's Journals for publishing treasonous statements. The editor was held for 11 months and never received a trial during that time. 

Another time, Lincoln ordered the arrest of two reporters for the New York World. He believed they had written false statements that claimed Lincoln signed off on them. Lincoln took his order back once he realized they were not working for the enemy. The Boston Daily Advertiser released an article titled, " The Suspended Journals," not long after Lincoln allowed the journalists to resume publication. In the article, the Boston newspaper shared joy over this news and claimed that other publications agreed that Lincon made a mistake in assuming the two journalists were out to get him. 

Censorship of the Telegraph and the Chaos It Caused

Before the war started, telegraphs had been a new form of technology. With that being said, the telegraph often allowed for communication from reporters on the battlefield. This could allow reporters to share information about strategies and more. Lincoln decided to censor any telegraphs to and from Washington. The Boston Daily Advertiser wrote in 1862 that some prominent journalists supported the military control over telegraph communications. 

An individual's freedom of speech was infringed upon when Clement Vallandigham, a congressman, spoke openly about his thoughts on Burnside’s General Order No. 38. The order stated that any treason that was expressed or implied would not be allowed. Anyone who violated the order would be arrested. The congressman expressed his disgust over the order at a rally held by the Democratic party. He wished for the overthrow of "King Lincoln" and wanted a peaceful solution to the war. 

Burnside ordered that Vallandigham be arrested once he learned of the speech. He was arrested at his home in early May. The Newark Advocate released the charges against Vallandigham soon after his arrest. He was charged with, "Publicly expressing, in violation of General Order No. 38... sympathy for those in arms against the Government of the United States, and declaring disloyal sentiments and opinions, with the object and purpose of weakening the power of the Government in its efforts to suppress an unlawful rebellion” (Newark Advocate). 

Vallandigham was found guilty and sentenced to imprisonment until the end of the war, as this arrest fell under the president's war powers. In fear of portraying the congressman as a martyr due to the rash arrest and sentencing,  Lincoln banished him to the Confederacy instead. 

President's War Powers

Due to the fact that a civil war had never occurred before the Constitution was created, there wasn't any information about how to handle the press and freedom of speech when the country is torn into two.

The Constitution does explain that Congress cannot restrict freedom of speech, but not for the president. But, Lincoln justified his decisions due to the president's power during a war, which is allowed under the Constitution. 

Many criticize Lincoln for doing what he did but claim that it was necessary for the war. Personally, I think Lincoln did infringe on rights reserved for Americans based on the First Amendment. Yes, it must have been frustrating to read about battle plans being leaked, or criticism on the war, or soldiers trading newspapers to enemies, but they're allowed to do all of those things as a citizen of America. 

Works Cited

Holzer, H. (2014). Lincoln and the power of the press: The war for public opinion. Simon and Schuster.

Drifting Rapidly to Civil War. (1860, December 24). New York Herald. Retrieved from https://link.gale.com.libproxy.highpoint.edu/apps/doc/GT3003667206/GDCS?u=hpu_main&sid=GDCS&xid=d82e7b0f

Disloyal Religious Newspapers. (1861, September 14). Christian Ambassador, 11(37), 147. Retrieved from https://link.gale.com.libproxy.highpoint.edu/apps/doc/MKASDP354882747/GDCS?u=hpu_main&sid=GDCS&xid=f21e8dc5

The Suspended Journals. (1864, May 24). Boston Daily Advertiser. Retrieved from https://link.gale.com.libproxy.highpoint.edu/apps/doc/GT3006402241/GDCS?u=hpu_main&sid=GDCS&xid=b446417f

"Military Possession of Telegraph Lines." Boston Daily Advertiser, 27 Feb. 1862. Nineteenth Century U.S. Newspapers, https://link.gale.com.libproxy.highpoint.edu/apps/doc/GT3006372718/GDCS?u=hpu_main&sid=GDCS&xid=2e64a267. Accessed 29 Apr. 2020.

Burnside, G., & Richmond, L. (1863, May 22). Sentence of Hon. C. L. Vallandigham. Newark Advocate. Retrieved from https://link.gale.com.libproxy.highpoint.edu/apps/doc/GT3005401975/GDCS?u=hpu_main&sid=GDCS&xid=7de0710b

Megan Twohey and the #MeToo Movement

Megan Twohey

Journohero Part Two 

My Journohero is Megan Twohey who published one of the first articles about Harvey Weinstein and the sexual allegations against him.

The Creator of a Movement

The Decision to be a Journalist

About six or seven years ago, I made the choice to follow the career path of a journalist. Many of my peers were leaning towards careers in education, healthcare, welding, construction, or criminal justice. Out of my graduating class, I was one of the only kids who was pursuing a degree in journalism.

Back in my hometown, journalists weren't and still aren't everyone's cup of tea. If I log onto my Facebook right now, there is a large chance that I will scroll past some article or status criticizing the media and journalists. The photo below is actually a post from my AP Calculus teacher blaming the media for causing panic about COVID-19. 

Obviously, this is just one example of how my town isn't the biggest fan of journalists. I don't want it to seem like I am throwing a pity party about how many look down on journalists. Instead, I wish to explain how many journalists encouraged me to pursue my "unconventional" path. 

If you didn't know, I am a white, straight woman. Because of this, I have more agency than some people. In my eyes, it is my job to use my agency to give a voice to those who are voiceless. As a journalist, I can have a platform to do just that. 

The Movement

In August of 2017, I was starting my sophomore year at HPU. I was finally getting involved with my major and was producing actual stories. At the same time, two female journalists were working on a story that would cause a global movement that would expose sexual predators for who they are.

On October 5, 2017, Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor published the article, "Harvey Weinstein Paid Off Sexual Harassment Accusers for Decades" in The New York Times. Unknown to the general public, the film producer, had been sexually harassing/assaulting women for a long time and had covered up his crimes with money and power.

This story and others like it began the #MeToo movement. This movement was for all the people who had or were being sexually harassed and felt helpless due to their harasser's power or economic status. The Me Too movement gave a voice to people who felt voiceless before speaking out about their abuser.

Twohey's story was published almost three years ago, but #MeToo stories haven't stopped coming. In those three years, she's been able to see Weinstein convicted for his crimes.

Megan Twohey

From Evanston, Illinois, Twohey graduated from Georgetown University in 1998 (only a year after I was born). Both of her parents worked in the media, so the news was in her blood.

In 2009, Twohey's investigative reports were gaining traction in the Chicago Tribune. 

Twohey reported that many police departments in Chicago were failing to test every rape kit that came their way. Due to her story, Illinois became the first state to require testing for every rape kit. Many states followed soon after. 

In 2010, Twohey reported on doctors who were actually convicted of sex crimes or felonies who were still abusing current patients. In a series of stories, Twohey was able to see legislation pass that requires healthcare professionals to have a background check. 

Twohey published an investigative report in Reuter's News about Americans who were finding places to abandon their adopted children through the internet. This story made it to the Nightly News and to the Today Show on NBC. 

In 2016, she published stories about the sexual allegations made about President Trump and continued to publish stories once Trump threatened to sue the NYT. 

In 2017, she and Kantor pursued the accusations made against Weinstein, even though Weinstein had incredible power and reach among the film industry and more. Jeopardizing their careers, the two women published the story that sparked a movement and created voices for thousands. 

The Push to Continue On 

I didn't decide to be a journalist because of Megan Twohey. But, she is one of the many journalists who have spurred me on to be the best journalist I can be. I hope to be half the journalist Twohey is. With her passion for the truth and strength to speak out on topics that people haven't spoken on before, she is the type of journalist I aspire to be. Twohey didn't always have a large audience for her stories, but that didn't stop her from making a difference. From the start of her career, she fought for the truth and saw a real change come from the stories she wrote. 

The Partisan Press: Past and Present

When studying the Partisan Press, it was hard to differentiate how the news used to be to how it is now. Presently, the media is biased like it used to be centuries ago. The only difference is that the partisan press was openly biased and said they were, while news outlets today hide behind the label of non-biased news. 

Granted, the world was a lot different when newspapers were circulated and that was the only one of getting information out. A lot of times, the information presented in the news wasn't even accurate. But, the same can be said for today, as the news rushes to be the first to break important information and don't always check the source or how accurate it is. 

This was seen with the death of Kobe Bryant. TMZ leaked that Bryant had died before his family even found out. At the time, TMZ didn't care that they had not only brought terrible news to the public but also brought that news to a family who had no idea their loved one was dead. To them, all that mattered was that they broke the news first before any other outlet. 

A century ago, being first to break a story wasn't the main concern at the time because of how slow news traveled then. What mattered was telling a story, while also adding an opinion to it. I personally don't mind hearing the opinion of the author, but I also want facts presented first, instead of having facts and opinions mixed together. 

One of my favorite images is this chart of media bias, even though it's a few years old. I definitely think that the chart has shifted, especially with CNN and NBC. They should be more to the left, as well as other news outlets. But, it does give a good overview of where to start your news journey. 

A lot has changed since the Partisan Press era when it comes to technology, politics, and society in general. But, present-day has reverted back to the past by producing news that is more and more biased every day. This wouldn't be an issue if the current news outlets had the courage to state that they were biased. 

The Coronavirus: An Epidemic or a More Extreme Flu

Sitting in my class yesterday, right before I took my midterm, I heard classmates behind me panicking. Granted, I thought they were stressed about the midterm, but after listening closely, they were freaking out because the first case of the coronavirus has hit North Carolina in Wake County.

As a journalist, it's hard not to be frustrated with the panic about coronavirus right now. But, yesterday, I got caught up in the fear of my friends, the campus, and even my family back home. So, I did what I know best, I started researching the virus to understand how stressed I actually needed to be.

I typed "coronavirus" into Google and after reading the news articles that popped up, this was underneath it.


In a section called "Help and Information", Google added this to a normal search to ease panic or help those who don't know all that much about the virus in general. But, it is nice to see that the sources they attached are credible and not from some random blog from an anti-vaxxer mom (which I have seen on my Facebook feed recently). Google links the World Health Organization and the Center for Disease Control.

What I learned from those sources was that I should be watching my hands for thirty seconds (which you should be doing anyway), GermX or anything of that kind does not protect you against the virus, since that is anti-bacterial, not anti-virus.


The CDC explains that the virus is spread "through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes," and that you can catch it if you are six feet away from the person who has it.

Symptoms include cough, fever, and shortness of breath. The CDC uses this infographic to describe symptoms. What frustrates me is that this sounds like a sinus infection, or a cold, or even the flu, but this has the possibility of killing me. But, because this virus is "new" to the population, doctors don't know enough about it to identify more symptoms. Essentially, everyone has to hope they don't get any symptoms like this because it could be the coronavirus or your allergies acting up.

As I sat down this morning to start my hair and makeup, I put on my daily news show that I watch on YouTube, and one of the topics of the day was the coronavirus and the fake news that has been spread around it. Watch the first few minutes of this video to learn more about the fake news being spread and the panic it is causing.

As a journalist, it is more vital than ever to only provide facts when it comes to a possible epidemic. Panic has already caused grocery stores and places like Costco to be bought out of toilet paper, milk, bread, and even more food to keep houses stocked IF a quarantine were enforced. The panic will cause more chaos than the actual virus will if journalists don't make it a point to spread the truth instead of false news.