The new Bush administration appointment of Tony Snow as Press Secretary has some striking consequences for the blending of popular news networks and state officials. Is it any surprise that a Fox News pundit is now “hosting” the federal government show?
While I don’t expect to see objectivity from any presidential candidate or administration, the overlap of a giant news agency and the government is a new type of influence. While some are highlighting that Snow has had some critical remarks of the Bush administration, I’m not sure that is the dangerous part of this new relationship. Instead, I think the conversation should be about the type of information that will be released in the future. This administration has been increasingly secretive and the ability of the public to make judgments about its inner workings, and effectively vote, are dependent upon the transparency of its responses to public inquiry. The Press Secretary should be a voice that speaks to inform the people, not continuously “duck and cover” from the questioning media.
Getting back to Snow, if he has already been a voicebox for the conservative party in other types of public, will he continue the policy of secrecy in the Bush administration? To what expense?
In the end, I see this as fake news watchdog (Fox News media pundits) continuing to serve the needs of a failing administration.