The civic organization Arizona Talks put on a panel discussion Tuesday evening addressing the topic, “Can we restore public confidence in the media?” The participants were mostly local mainstream media, with the exception of KTAR talk show host Jim Sharpe, a libertarian. The Arizona Republic’s executive editor told people to get off social media, and the general manager for PBS said unlike people who believe in “conspiracy theories,” the media looks at facts before coming to a conclusion.
The discussion was moderated by former state legislator Heather Carter, who was considered a liberal Republican while in the legislature and who has since re-registered as an independent. She said a recent poll from the Center for the Future of Arizona found that 85 percent believe that news media coverage of political parties and candidates running for office has created more division.
Carter revealed her opinions on the media while serving in the legislature for 10 years. She said a considerable amount of time is spent crafting a media narrative. Consultants advise the elected officials, “Create your own story or one will be created for you.” She said she saw her relationship with the media as a “partnership.”
Carter, who represented a district with a significant 25 percent Republican voter registration edge over Democrats, observed that when she’d knock on doors campaigning for office, every house had Fox News on. She said people were very interested in national news.
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