Where was our broadcast media?

Last night, President Joe Biden gave the defining speech of his presidency. Before Independence Hall in Philadelphia, where this nation's story as an independent state began, he inveighed against the danger posed to this Republic by Donald Trump and has MAGA movement. His speech was a clarion call for Americans who love this country and love its democracy to stand up and fight for it. He called for fearlessness against a violent minority which wishes to take over by any means it finds necessary. He aimed this speech at all non-MAGA sectors: Democrats, Independents, and non-Trumpist Republicans. And yes, non-Trumpist Republicans exist; we saw that in Alaska, where they voted to send Mary Peltola to Congress rather than Sarah Palin.

The speech was carried by CNN, MSNBC, and PBS. It was also available streaming. Of course, Fox News didn't show it. But Fox wasn't alone in not broadcasting a prime time presidential address. Legacy broadcasters CBS, NBC, and ABC decided to continue with their regularly scheduled programming.

Now, you may ask: What's the big deal? As I wrote, the speech was available on multiple platforms. Anyone who so desired to watch the speech wasn't lacking for options.

Unlike cable news, public broadcasters receive their licenses from the government. As such, they are required to devote a certain number of hours a week to public service / educational broadcasts. That is a condition of holding the license. But that requirement has long been in abeyance. The networks try to skirt that obligation as much as they can. But carrying a presidential speech of such importance used to be something which was done without a second thought. Now, though, networks feel free to eschew that duty.

To answer the question: Why does it matter? Because even in our balkanized media landscape, the Big Three (and Fox) still reach many more viewers than their cable counterparts. Millions of people who would have otherwise watched the speech were denied that opportunity because the networks chose profit over civic duty. Not everyone has cable. Not everyone has the internet. Not everyone is clued in to the new media landscape. A prime time presidential address on an issue of national, even existential, importance should be broadcast on all networks, even if ad revenue takes a minor hit. 

But the conglomerates which own the networks have no sense of civic responsibility. The former head of CBS famously said that the likes of Trump were bad for America but good for the bottom line of media companies. Democracy being on the precipice is not their concern. They see themselves as the world's true masters, and have no inclination to submit themselves to the niceties which used to obtain. 

Pres. Biden's speech was aimed at the media as well. It has a role to play in defending and promoting democracy. And up to now it has failed spectacularly. Its insistence on treating this iteration of the Republican Party as anything other than an addled and violent cult, and instead as a normal political party, is one of the reasons we are where we are. And last night the legacy networks failed again. They have no concern for the common good, only for their own wealth and power.

Democracy has many enemies. And not all them are active antagonists. The apathetic and apolitical are also threats by removing themselves from their duties as members of the community. The networks showed themselves to be in that camp last night. The fight we have ahead of us will be long and hard, no less so because of decisions such as those taken by the networks. I hope they soon heed the words of the patriot who said that we must all hang together, or we shall surely hang separately.