The Birth of Spin

It is difficult to envision the early decades of correspondence of American political communication, when communication relied on newspapers, letters that took days to deliver, and word of mouth.  Not only was delivery difficult and slow, but accuracy would also have been challenging, even for those acting in good faith.  As access and timeliness of correspondence improved, the challenge of bias or slant of information continued, whether only an effort to create a favorable impression or deliberate efforts to shade information were involved.  As the saying goes, "Everyone is entitled to his own opinion but not to his own facts."  Yet, the challenge of determining the accuracy of what we are told has existed for as long as humans learned how to communicate.

From long ago, the Owl has been a symbol of wisdom and truth, perhaps because of its ability to see in the dark. The need for truth and the challenge of discerning truth is as old as time, long before our nation existed.  Our nation's privilege of freedom of speech makes the importance even more essential that we honor that privilege.  However, it has never been entirely honored.  

Perhaps the 1980s were a professional turning point for the "art" of spin, with a gradual naming of the abuses: publicity, ballyhoo, propaganda, messaging, framing, strategic communication, bias.  The practice became so accepted that "spin rooms" to meet with reporters after news events to tweak the content became common.

Among the earlier efforts to combat misinformation were the Muckrakers, sometimes as outrageous in their attacks as those committing the falsehoods the Muckrakers exposed.  However, there were examples of investigations and disclosures by the Muckrakers that benefitted the public.  Perhaps the best example was Sinclair Lewis, and his book, The Jungle, that exposed the disgraceful and dangerous greed and abuse of the Chicago meatpackers. 

Presidents in particular struggled with communicating with the press.  President Wilson established the Committee on Public Information as a war time information bureau.  Franklin Roosevelt was particularly successful with his Fireside Chats.  On the other hand, radio also provided the abusive access for those who would spread prejudiced and false information, such as the broadcasts of Father Charles Coughlin and Huey Long.

The power of radio quickly diminished as television arrived.  One clever example was Ronald Reagan's dismissal of his age with a joke, telling his opponent, Mondale, that he would "not hold his youth and inexperience against him."  Not all presidents have been as skilled in using media, but they all recognize the importance of using it effectively. 

The media has tried to confront the spin, identifying outright falsehoods with fact checking, but it   proved less effective than might have been hoped.  Americans began to distrust the media.  Many sought news they found more agreeable.  The internet offered alternative sources, but checks on accuracy were often lacking.  Reporters, with rules that guided their responsibilities for accuracy, found themselves being replaced by commentators, who express opinions rather than unbiased facts.  

Gradually, the professional responsibility for those who bring us the news or host sources where information can be posted have become less vigilant, and recently Face Book has announced that they will no longer protect against misinformation by fact checking, leaving it up to individuals to recognize inaccuracies and intentional misrepresentation.  

The sad truth is that all of us prefer to hear what we want to hear, but for Americans to be entrusted with wise judgement, for themselves and their families, as well as for our freedom of speech, and informed votes, we must have access to the information we need.  As Roman poet Juvenal wrote, "Who will guard the guards themselves?  Who will watch the watchmen?"