A history of conservative media criticism and the 'liberal media'

What is it about?

Journalism historians have largely overlooked right-wing journalists and media critics, and have failed to recognize their criticism as criticism. Drawing upon extensive archival and periodical research, this article recovers the long ignored history of the origins of the 'liberal media' trope.

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Why is it important?

We cannot understand the rise of Donald Trump, contemporary political polarization, or entrenched conservative distrust of mainstream media, without knowing its deep historical roots. Structural media criticism began on the left, and was appropriated by the right beginning in the late 1940s. The origins of our current post-truth political impasse are found in this article.