PBS warns of ‘inflammatory rhetoric’ in Trump speech stream.

Federally Funded PBS Adds “Inflammatory Rhetoric” Warning to Trump Speech

Former President Donald Trump’s speech in response to his arraignment on federal charges in Miami on Tuesday was streamed by PBS, but not without controversy. The network repeatedly added “context” banners to the bottom of the stream, including warnings about Trump’s statements regarding the 2020 presidential election and allegations of corruption against President Joe Biden and his son Hunter.

Just gonna file this one away until 2025… ✂️✂️✂️

“PBS Slaps Banner on Trump Live Event That Proves State Media Cannot Be Trusted” https://t.co/0YX6HY5gb5

— Jason Miller (@JasonMillerinDC) June 14, 2023

The warnings included one that read, “Experts warn that inflammatory rhetoric from elected officials or people in power can prompt individual actors to commit acts of violence.” This warning came just after Trump promised to “totally obliterate the deep state” if re-elected president.

Other legacy media outlets, including CNN and MSNBC, chose not to broadcast the former president’s speech live. MSNBC anchor Rachel Maddow said the network would not broadcast Trump’s address, characterizing it as a fundraiser and “campaign speech,” claiming that “there is a cost to us as a news organization to knowingly broadcast untrue things.” CNN’s Jake Tapper said the network wouldn’t broadcast the speech either, stating, “We’re not carrying his remarks live because, frankly, he says a lot of things that are not true and sometimes potentially dangerous.”

Why PBS’ Warning Matters

PBS, which gets roughly 15% of its revenue from taxpayers, added the warnings to provide context and prevent the spread of misinformation. The network’s decision to do so has sparked debate about the role of media in shaping public opinion and the responsibility of news organizations to provide accurate information.

What We Can Learn From This

The controversy surrounding PBS’ stream of Trump’s speech highlights the importance of context and accuracy in reporting. As consumers of news, it’s essential to seek out multiple sources and fact-check information before accepting it as true. By doing so, we can help prevent the spread of misinformation and ensure that we’re making informed decisions based on accurate information.

Takeaways

• PBS added “inflammatory rhetoric” warnings to its stream of Trump’s speech in response to his arraignment on federal charges.
• Other legacy media outlets, including CNN and MSNBC, chose not to broadcast the speech live.
• The controversy highlights the importance of context and accuracy in reporting.
• As consumers of news, it’s essential to seek out multiple sources and fact-check information before accepting it as true.

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