ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors argue that journalism educators have a responsibility – particularly after Trump – to teach political news in a way that highlights the distinct nature of conservative media. Too often students leave journalism courses with the impression that conservative and liberal media are two sides of the same coin, which simply isn’t true. While liberal media should be taught critically, to avoid false equivalencies it shouldn’t be the basis for comparison to conservative media. Comparisons to “traditional” news are more useful as they help demonstrate where liberal and conservative media diverge from these norms and leave students with a more nuanced understanding of the political media landscape in the U.S. This chapter briefly lays out the unique development of modern conservative media and how it is designed to stir up outrage and fuel white resentment. Next, the authors share their own experiences getting sucked up into the outrage of the conservative media sphere. After this they give a short overview of conservative media networks today. The chapter closes with the authors offering practical tips to educators navigating teaching political news after Trump. Ultimately, this chapter is a call to action for journalism educators.
