About 350 U.S. newspapers published editorials Thursday (Aug. 16) as part of a coordinated effort to defend the freedom of the press and chastise President Donald Trump for constantly bashing news organizations as "enemies of the people." 
 
 The initiative was organized by Boston Globe op-ed page editor Marjorie Pritchard, who called for editorial voices nationwide to unite against the president's rhetoric, which some fear will incite physical violence against reporters and others working at media outlets. 
 
 "Our words will differ," Pritchard said. "But at least we can agree that such attacks are alarming." 
 
 The Fake News hates me saying that they are the Enemy of the People only because they know it's TRUE. I am providing a great service by explaining this to the American People. They purposely cause great division & distrust. They can also cause War! They are very dangerous & sick! -- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 5, 2018 
 
 "We're not the enemy of the people," Pritchard said in an interview this week. "We thought that a coordinated effort across the country would make a powerful statement about the importance of a free press." 
 
 The Globe and The New York Times were the biggest names to join a list that also included the Houston Chronicle, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the Miami Herald and the Denver Post. 
 
 The NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune editorial board chose not to participate. We believe a local news organization's voice should be independent. And we believe our work, and the president's attacks on the press, speak for themselves. 
 
 Not everyone in the media agrees with the Globe's strategy. Politico reporter Jack Shafer pointed out that an allegedly independent press all engaged in "groupthink" will only reaffirm the worst opinions that many people already share. 
 
 "Most journalists agree that there's a great need for Trump rebuttals," Shafer writes. "But this Globe-sponsored coordinated editorial response is sure to backfire: It will provide Trump with circumstantial evidence of the existence of a national press cabal that has been convened solely to oppose him." 
 
 Trump's forthcoming speeches almost write themselves, Shafer says: "By colluding against me, the fake media proved once and for all, that they are in cahoots with the Democrats and have declared themselves to be my true political opposition ... " for example. 
 
 The Boston Globe, which was sold to the the Failing New York Times for 1.3 BILLION DOLLARS (plus 800 million dollars in losses & investment), or 2.1 BILLION DOLLARS, was then sold by the Times for 1 DOLLAR. Now the Globe is in COLLUSION with other papers on free press. PROVE IT! -- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 16, 2018 
 
 Many of the newspapers are not just singing from the same hymnals but also preaching to the choir. Most, if not all of these newspapers, either endorsed Democrat Hillary Clinton over Trump in 2016 or made a show of their disgust by not endorsing at all. 
 
 This endeavor seems likely to have the same impact. 
 
 The very legitimate defenses of the First Amendment and the importance of a free and independent press are certain to get swallowed up in the partisan divide and the strong feelings of many that Trump never gets a fair shake from the mainstream media. 
 
 There also is the issue of the "Trump bump," the increase in circulation enjoyed by some outlets, most notably The New York Times, for the aggressive news coverage and editorial opposition to the president and his administration. 
 
 So, it wasn't the greatest look that three paragraphs into its online editorial, The Boston Globe included an ad that says: "Our subscribers support a free press. Please join that effort. Subscribe now." 
 
 The Globe editorial, under the headline "Journalists are NOT the enemy," concludes: 
 
 "Lies are antithetical to an informed citizenry, responsible for self-governance. The greatness of America is dependent on the role of a free press to speak the truth to the powerful. To label the press 'the enemy of the people' is as un-American as it is dangerous to the civic compact we have shared for more than two centuries." 
 
 The New York Times editorial, headlined "A Free Press Needs You," begins with a brief history of the beginnings of the idea of a free press, then notes: 
 
 "In 2018, some of the most damaging attacks are coming from government officials. Criticizing the news media -- for underplaying or overplaying stories, for getting something wrong -- is entirely right. News reporters and editors are human, and make mistakes. Correcting them is core to our job. But insisting that truths you don't like are 'fake news' is dangerous to the lifeblood of democracy. And calling journalists the 'enemy of the people' is dangerous, period." 
 
 The editorial concludes: 
 
 "If you haven't already, please subscribe to your local papers. Praise them when you think they've done a good job and criticize them when you think they could do better. We're all in this together." 
 
 Yes, but we all also need to think for ourselves and arrive at our own conclusions. Having 350 editorial voices saying the same thing on the same day just seems to prove Trump's point. 
 
 Tim Morris is an opinions columnist at NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. He can be reached at tmorris@nola.com. Follow him on Twitter @tmorris504. ||||| Nothing flatters an independent journalist less than the sight of him forming a line to drink from the same fountain as his colleagues. Such a spectacle will unfold on Thursday, August 16, as 200 or more editorial pages will heed the call sounded by Boston Globe op-ed page editor Marjorie Pritchard to run editorials opposing President Donald Trump’s unrelieved press-bashing. Participating dailies include the Houston Chronicle, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the Miami Herald and the Denver Post, as well as the Globe. Joining the movement are the American Society of News Editors and the New England Newspaper and Press Association. Dan Rather is on board, as is the Radio Television Digital News Association. 
 
 “Our words will differ. But at least we can agree that such attacks are alarming,” Pritchard’s appeal declared. 
 
 Story Continued Below 
 
 It goes without saying that press bashing, Trump-style, is alarming. His critiques rarely point to genuine inaccuracies in the press. Instead, his method is to dismiss any news that impedes his agenda or disparages him as fake and dishonest. With demagogic bluster, he routinely deploys “enemies of the people” rhetoric against journalists, which some say has inspired physical threats against journalists. Early this month, he tweeted that reporters are “dangerous & sick” and accused them of causing war (!) and purposely causing “great division & distrust.” Early in his presidency, Trump said, “I’ve never seen more dishonest media than, frankly, the political media.” 
 
 Most journalists agree that there’s a great need for Trump rebuttals. I’ve written my share. But this Globe-sponsored coordinated editorial response is sure to backfire: It will provide Trump with circumstantial evidence of the existence of a national press cabal that has been convened solely to oppose him. When the editorials roll off the press on Thursday, all singing from the same script, Trump will reap enough fresh material to whale on the media for at least a month. His forthcoming speeches almost write themselves: By colluding against me, the fake media proved once and for all, that they are in cahoots with the Democrats and have declared themselves to be my true political opposition … 
 
 The Globe’s anti-Trump project is also an exercise in redundancy, not to mention self-stroking. Most newspapers have already published a multitude of editorials and columns rebuking the president for his trash-talking of the press. Most major editorial boards opposed Trump’s election, according to this tally by Business Insider. The largest of the 19 newspapers to endorse Trump was the Las Vegas Review-Journal, owned by one of his faithful donors, Sheldon Adelson. More than 240 endorsed Hillary Clinton. Editorial-page sentiment against Trump remains largely unchanged since the election, making the call for a collective reprimand all the more pointless. 
 
 Another problem with a nationally coordinated pro-press catechism is that the audience likely to reap the greatest benefit from the haranguing—Trump and many in his base—tends not to read newspapers in the first place. While there’s always value in preaching to the choir—that’s why churches hold services every Sunday—the combined weight of 200 pro-press editorials is not likely to move the opinion needle or deter Trump from defaming and threatening reporters. 
 
 Most newspaper editorials are already a watered-down product of groupthink. It’s unlikely that expanding the size of the group and encouraging everybody to bake and serve a tuna-fish casserole on the same day will produce editorials that are more interesting and persuasive than the normal fare. 
 
 But maybe I’m wrong. If a single day of pro-press editorials is a good idea for a collective assignment, then maybe newspapers should set aside next Saturday for 200 editorials on tariffs and next Sunday for 200 editorials on global warming and next Monday for 200 editorials on Afghanistan. Surely these issues are as compelling and urgent as press freedom. 
 
 For all its faults, the American press refuses the commands from critics who would have it operate like some monolithic entity. Almost daily, our best newspapers express their independence by rejecting the marching orders issued by corporations, politicians and governments. Editorial pages of America, don’t unite! Think for yourselves! Reject this stupid pro-press assignment! 
 
 ****** 
 
 Send collective assignments to Shafer.Politico@gmail.com. I will ignore them. My email alerts endorsed George Papoon for president in 2016. My Twitter feed wrote in Alfred E. Neuman. My RSS feed voted for whatever knucklehead the Libertarian Party put up. 
 
 Jack Shafer is Politico’s senior media writer. 
 
 This article tagged under: Media 
 
 Newspapers 
 
 Donald Trump ||||| Image copyright EPA Image caption The Boston Globe made a plea for editorial unity last week 
 
 More than 300 news outlets have launched a campaign to counter US President Donald Trump's attacks and promote a free press. 
 
 The Boston Globe made the call last week for a nationwide denouncement of the president's "dirty war" against the media, using the hashtag #EnemyOfNone. 
 
 Mr Trump has derided media reports as "fake news" and attacked journalists as "enemies of the people". 
 
 And he tweeted on Thursday: "The fake news media is the opposition party." 
 
 "It is very bad for our great country... But we are winning!" 
 
 UN experts have warned that Mr Trump's comments about the media raise the risk of violence against journalists. 
 
 The Boston Globe had pledged to write an editorial "on the dangers of the administration's assault on the press" on 16 August, and asked others to do the same. 
 
 Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Fox v MSNBC: How the news divides America 
 
 The initial positive response from 100 news organisations has grown closer to 350 with major US national newspapers and smaller local outlets answering the call, along with international publications like the UK newspaper The Guardian. 
 
 What have the papers said? 
 
 Image copyright New York Times Image caption A screenshot of the New York Times' editorial 
 
 Starting with the Boston Globe itself, the editorial there, headlined Journalists Are Not The Enemy, argued that a free press had been a core American principle for more than 200 years 
 
 itself, the editorial there, headlined Journalists Are Not The Enemy, argued that a free press had been a core American principle for more than 200 years The New York Times chose the headline A Free Press Needs You, calling Mr Trump's attacks "dangerous to the lifeblood of democracy". It published excerpts from dozens more publications beneath 
 
 chose the headline A Free Press Needs You, calling Mr Trump's attacks "dangerous to the lifeblood of democracy". It published excerpts from dozens more publications beneath The New York Post - a pro-Trump tabloid - answered the Globe's call by saying "Who are we to disagree?" adding: "It may be frustrating to argue that just because we print inconvenient truths doesn't mean that we're fake news, but being a journalist isn't a popularity contest. All we can do is to keep reporting." But it also said: "Will this make a difference? Not one whit" 
 
 - a pro-Trump tabloid - answered the Globe's call by saying "Who are we to disagree?" adding: "It may be frustrating to argue that just because we print inconvenient truths doesn't mean that we're fake news, but being a journalist isn't a popularity contest. All we can do is to keep reporting." But it also said: "Will this make a difference? Not one whit" The Topeka Capital-Journal was another paper to join the campaign. It said of Mr Trump's attack on the media: "It's sinister. It's destructive. And it must end now." The paper was one of the few to endorse Mr Trump in 2016. 
 
 The fact that Mr Trump won without such media endorsements may cast doubt on whether the Globe's campaign would actually dent his support. 
 
 Later on Thursday, President Trump tweeted that the Globe "is in collusion with other papers on free press". 
 
 There have been some dissenting voices to the Globe's campaign: 
 
 At the conservative website Townhall.com, Tom Tradup panned the Globe's "pathetic bid to pretend it is still relevant", writing: "I would not presume to tell anyone else what to think or what to do. But as for me - and I suspect many others - I won't be putting any coins in any newspaper box August 16th." 
 
 The Wall Street Journal declined to take part. An earlier piece by James Freeman argued Mr Trump was entitled to free speech, and the Globe's drive ran counter to the very independence it was seeking. 
 
 'The media!' 
 
 By BBC's White House reporter Tara McKelvey 
 
 Trust in the media has dipped to an all-time low, and Mr Trump has tapped into this well of discontent, prompting journalistic outcry. 
 
 In fact "the media" - in popular parlance - means an amorphous blob of TV networks. Even people in flyover country, a region where voters supported Mr Trump, see individual reporters in a more nuanced way, as I've discovered. 
 
 Image copyright AFP/Getty Image caption President Trump has been accused of increasing the risk of violence against journalists with his attacks 
 
 Recently I was interviewing someone in a Kansas liquor store (it's a long story) and a big, burly construction worker burst in the door and shouted: "The media!" 
 
 I looked up uneasily, and he smiled and said I was doing important work. 
 
 When Mr Trump attacks "the media", crowds roar. In general terms, people condemn "the media". 
 
 Privately, though, Mr Trump is chummy with us - and often asks how we're doing. 
 
 And ordinary people across the US are also gracious towards journalists, showing a real appreciation for their work . 
 
 What does the American public think? 
 
 A poll released on Tuesday by Quinnipiac University suggested that 51% of Republican voters now believed the media to be "the enemy of the people rather than an important part of democracy" and 52% of the Republican supporters polled were not concerned that Mr Trump's criticism would lead to violence against journalists. 
 
 Among all voters, 65% believe the news media to be an important part of democracy, the poll suggests. 
 
 An Ipsos poll, also this month, gave similar figures. In addition it found that 23% of Republicans, and about one in eight Americans overall, believed Mr Trump should close down mainstream news outlets like CNN, the Washington Post and the New York Times. 
 
 Have journalists been under physical attack? 
 
 Mr Trump has certainly ramped up the pressure on mainstream media with numerous tweets. 
 
 The Trump Twitter Archive says he has tweeted 281 times so far using the term "fake news". 
 
 When he brings up the matter at his rallies, some journalists have felt uneasy about their safety and have even avoided using designated reporter zones. 
 
 At a presidential rally in Florida in July, CNN filmed Mr Trump's supporters yelling insults and swearing at reporters covering the event. CNN presenter Jim Acosta tweeted a clip, which contained strong language. 
 
 A man was also arrested in January for making threats to CNN employees via telephone calls that referred to "fake news". 
 
 The publisher of the New York Times, AG Sulzberger, told Mr Trump in a personal meeting in July that the president's language was "contributing to a rise in threats against journalists and will lead to violence". 
 
 But most of the Globe's campaign is about maintaining a free press and its own editorial does not even touch on violence. 
 
 Some outlets do, however, refer to the recent killing of five people at the offices of the Capital Gazette in Maryland. 
 
 This, and an incident in which two journalists were killed live on air in Virginia in 2015, well before Mr Trump was elected, are used to highlight the dangers of the profession, although both were allegedly carried out by people with personal grievances.
– More than 340 newspapers published editorials Thursday decrying President Trump's repeated attacks on the media, and now Trump has responded. "The Boston Globe, which was sold to the the Failing New York Times for 1.3 BILLION DOLLARS (plus 800 million dollars in losses & investment), or 2.1 BILLION DOLLARS, was then sold by the Times for 1 DOLLAR. Now the Globe is in COLLUSION with other papers on free press. PROVE IT!" Trump tweeted Thursday, adding, "There is nothing that I would want more for our Country than true FREEDOM OF THE PRESS. The fact is that the Press is FREE to write and say anything it wants, but much of what it says is FAKE NEWS, pushing a political agenda or just plain trying to hurt people. HONESTY WINS!" Earlier Thursday, he had tweeted, "THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA IS THE OPPOSITION PARTY. It is very bad for our Great Country....BUT WE ARE WINNING!" The New York Times notes that Trump's first tweet contained a factual error; the Times Company paid $1.1 billion for the Boston Globe and other properties decades ago, then sold them for $70 million in 2013. But an editorial at Investor's Business Daily Wednesday was on Trump's side, and even used the same charged c-word in its headline: "Editorial Collusion By Dozens Of Newspapers Proves Trump's Point: The Media Are Biased." It calls the move by the newspapers (CNN lists some of those that participated) a "political stunt" that shows the papers are more interested in pushing a left-wing agenda than actually informing the public. And at Politico, Jack Shafer says the plan "played right into Trump's hands" and will surely backfire, despite Trump's attacks on the press being truly "alarming" and deserving of a rebuttal. At NOLA.com Tim Morris echoes that, noting that the Times-Picayune editorial board did not participate because "we believe a local news organization's voice should be independent. ... Having 350 editorial voices saying the same thing on the same day just seems to prove Trump's point."