It's no surprise that the year "fake news" entered our vocabularies was a controversial one for media. NewsBusters' Curtis Houck joins Cheddar to break down the year's most polarizing press events. We consider how to hold journalists accountable without vilifying them.
Houck points to Vice President Al Gore's marketing strategy for his documentary "An Inconvenient Truth 2" as an instance of dishonesty. He also revisits the media's decision to use Big Bird as a symbol of PBS' budget cuts. Despite headlines saying the government was killing the children's character, Sesame Street is still airing on PBS.
Finally, Houck reveals some of the most infamous media mistakes of the year. From Brian Ross' false reporting about the Michael Flynn guilty plea to CNN's misrepresentation of Anthony Scaramucci's Russia ties, Houck says the media lost significant credibility in 2017. We also consider the apparent double standard different networks are taking in their approaches to punishing erring journalists.
Florida Gov. and presidential hopeful Ron Desantis says that he thinks the Republican primary would be different if former president Donald Trump wasn't indicted.
Rudy Giuliani has filed for bankruptcy, days after being ordered to pay $148 million in a defamation lawsuit.
The top military officer in the United States met with his Chinese counterpart for the first time in over a year.
A judge ordered former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani immediately to start paying the judgment against him for the former Georgia election workers that he defamed.
Lawyers for former president Donald Trump requested that the Supreme Court avoid taking on an appeal about whether Trump has immunity for his actions challenging the 2020 election results.
President Joe Biden said there's no question former President Donald Trump supported an insurrection but wouldn't give an opinion on Colorado banning Trump from the ballot.
Hamas says it will not negotiate for the release of any additional hostages until Israel's operation in Gaza ends.
Former President Donald Trump's bid to win back the White House is now threatened by two sentences added to the U.S. Constitution 155 years ago.
Parents are opting out of school vaccinations at the highest rate ever.
President Biden has reportedly released an ally of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in exchange for jailed Americans.
