In the HBO series Game of Thrones, after an extended period of temperate weather, the denizens of the northern provinces are warned that, “Winter is coming.”  This prospect is terrifying for the inhabitants, as it presages a long stint of bitter cold, privation, and even sudden death at the hands of the evil Night King, and his army of murderous White Walkers.

The series is, of course, a work of fiction, but the atmosphere of fear engendered by the words, “Winter is coming,” is being duplicated in the left leaning newsrooms of a number of media outlets.  However, instead of “Winter is coming,” leftist so-called journalists have become terrified by the possibility that “Balance is coming.”

Media company mergers and acquisitions have sparked much of the turmoil among the leftist media types.  It’s no secret that journalists in general and broadcast news reporters in particular tend to be liberal.  That’s been the case for decades.  However, in the past, the media maintained a sense of journalistic ethics, and at least tried to present both sides of the issues.

Along the way, the reporters and talking heads underwent a distinct shift in their perceived role.  They transformed from the role of simply reporting the news, somewhat impartially, to managing the news to fit their political preferences.

In some ways, this was nothing new.  Many newspapers openly displayed liberal or conservative political biases.  However, in those times, every liberal paper, like The New York Times, was balanced by a paper such as Colonel McCormick’s conservative Chicago Tribune.  In other words, there was a more or else even playing field.

Over time, the balance disappeared.  I think the main reason that journalists grew more liberal is because our educational system, for the past hundred years, has been hijacked by so-called progressives.

John Dewey was the leading progressive educator of the early 20th Century.  He wrapped his philosophy in the guise of teaching children to value democracy, while pursuing his stated plan to “fundamentally transform the United States.”  Sound familiar?

Dewey was opposed to promoting individual liberty, in favor of collectivism, praising the Communist system of the Soviet Union.  He championed sending children to kindergarten, not to begin their educations at an earlier age, but to remove them from the influence of their parents a year sooner.

As progressiveism took over education, the faculties of colleges and universities progressively became more liberal.  In time, higher education became the plaything of the Left.  Schools of journalism attracted the most liberal teachers and students.

And so it was that budding journalists saw themselves, not simply as reporters of the news, but as crusaders, whose job it was to advance their own political agendas.  And because journalists live in a bubble, in which they interact and communicate largely with others in their profession, they quickly contracted the progressive mental disorder, Delusions of Rectitude, wherein they believe, not only that they’re always right, but that whatever they believe represents the mainstream of American political thought.

It was under this delusion that the irresistible force of a self-assured and self-important media came onto a collision course with the immovable object known as Donald John Trump.  A clash between the two was inevitable, especially because Trump entered the fray determined to violate what had been a well established rule – “Don’t get into an argument with people who buy ink by the barrel.”

That rule went out the window the day Trump came down the escalator in 2015.  Since that time, Trump has not missed any opportunity to call a spade a spade, or to call the fake news the fake news.

And for their part, the leftist media has accepted the challenge, and has made destroying Trump item one on their agendas.  It has been reported that the mainstream media outlets’ coverage of Trump for the past 11 years has been more than 96% negative.  As a result, media coverage of the White House, and White House comments on the media have devolved into alternating charges of “You lie!” “No, you lie!”

Last week it got to the point where Trump barred fake news outlets such as CNN, MSNOW, and the like from the White House Press Room.  Unsurprisingly, the outlets squealed like stuck pigs, and lawsuits have been filed.  In record time, the outlets found a compliant judge, who was eager to insert his nose where it doesn’t belong, and he reversed the ban.

It’s funny that the media is quick to yell First Amendment when they’re the ones who are talking, while at the same time supporting extremist leftist tyrants who seek to limit the right of free speech for those who disagree with them.

It’s not a First Amendment violation.  The media outlets are still free to stand outside the White House, and defame the President all day long.  The President’s just not going to furnish them a comfortable room from which to do it.  Meanwhile, given an opportunity, Trump can prove his “fake news” claims.  Here’s a list recently posted of fake news stories pushed by CNN.

The CNN employees are extra nervous nowadays because the Paramount takeover of Warner Brothers is about to go through.  This deal will create a media behemoth that will control CBS News and CNN, in addition to Hollywood studios Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros., streaming services HBO Max and Paramount+.

When Paramount took over CBS, they installed Bari Weiss in the News division.  Weiss is no conservative.  Her stated mission was to appeal to the 70% in the political center versus catering to the far left or far right.  A good idea if you’re running a business.  She moved the division toward a more even handed presentation of the news, no doubt as a result of the fact that CBS had just settled a lawsuit brought by Trump for millions of dollars.

The idea of a more balanced view of the news led to numerous firings and resignations, especially from the 60 Minutes staff.  One outgoing producer complained, “We’ve been told to aim our reporting at a particular part of the political spectrum.  Honestly, I don’t know how to do that.”  I believe her.  Loony leftists don’t know how even to consider that there might be two sides to every issue.

And now Paramount is coming for the CNN staff, and the mood at CNN is said to be funereal.  CNN staffers are worried over Paramount boss David Ellison’s connections to Trump — as well as that of Ellison’s father, Larry, who is a huge Trump donor.  This could mean, oh perish the thought, that balance is coming to CNN.  Not that!  Oh the humanity!

Will Paramount permit balanced, or even somewhat favorable coverage of the Night King, Donald Trump?  Will it permit the Night King’s White Walkers to appear on the air in fair interviews?  And perhaps worst of all, will the network be forced to conduct presidential debates honestly, without weighing in for the Democrat candidate?

I expect restructuring, but no drastic changes.  Then again, if the coverage of Trump could ratchet down to 75% negative coverage, that would be an improvement.