Beat the Press host Emily Rooney made her weekly appearance on Boston Public Radio Friday, where she talked about coronavirus preparedness and the media’s coverage of the pandemic.
"I think the press reporting, for the most part, has been extremely responsible,” Rooney said. "They’re reacting to the reality of the current time. … It’s not like they’re spreading the virus, they’re spreading information about the virus.”
It wasn’t all praise, though, and Rooney was quick to critique certain news networks for politicizing the crisis.
"If you flip over to the cables, you’re getting a food fight, weaponizing over this. … Is it really a second effort to impeach Donald Trump?” she asked, in reference to coverage by Fox News. “Even on some of the more liberal networks, like [CNN’s] Don Lemon the other night was berating [former Ohio Gov.] John Kasich. … It was just shocking.”
Rooney then referenced comments made by WGBH News & Radio General Manager Phil Redo, highlighting the service that media companies offer to communities during uncertain times.
“One of the reasons we do what we do,” she said, "is [that] we provide a conduit to the community. We are the eyes and ears, we report what we know, we choose the facts. And you guys who are on the radio every day, you’re a comforting presence. You want to hear from people that you know and you trust.”
