American journalism has strayed from its core function, becoming a cheerleading squad for political factions rather than an objective instant-replay system, according to retired Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Michael Breeden, who argues the shift leaves citizens unable to make informed judgments.
Breeden, writing in an op-ed, cast the public as the "NFL audience" and political parties as "the opposing teams' ownerships." The media's role, he said, should be that of "referees with honest instant replay"—providing rapid, precise review of events.
Instead, he said, many journalists have become "oracles" or "production crew cheerleaders" who soft-light one team, bury perceived cheating and throw shade on another. That manipulation, he said, "stokes resentment against the entire enterprise."
Breeden cited historical examples, including the Dreyfus Affair in France, where large parts of the press defended institutional honor over individual justice. He also pointed to the British press's treatment of Winston Churchill, who was dismissed as a "blundering warhawk" before Nazi rearmament became a clear threat.
That pattern has repeated in U.S. political coverage, Breeden said. The press largely overlooked former President Bill Clinton's "personal sleaze," he said. After the Sept. 11 attacks, many outlets maintained a daily drumbeat of casualties and anti-war framing that quieted once a preferred administration took power.
Breeden also said journalists pursued a "singular objective" to destroy President Donald Trump, amplifying unverified claims from government leakers. He said nearly half the country came to believe Russia had changed vote counts—a story that later collapsed without the leakers being held accountable.
Former President Joe Biden, Breeden said, received favorable coverage while his family's conduct and cognitive decline were minimized. He also cited what he called Anthony Fauci's "fear campaign," in which dissent from official guidance was treated as dangerous.
Breeden's prescription: journalists must remember their actual job, owners must value independence and citizens must conduct their own research. "Democracy dies in darkness when the press refuses to turn on a forensic flashlight and instead protects the team it prefers," he said.
