RASHOMON: Trump-friendly FOX News vs ostensibly more traditional journalistic standards, CBS, NBC, PBS ...

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FOX News tends to present Trump favorably. But does this presidential coverage rise to the level of authentic journalism? Or is FOX merely shilling for the president?

Rashomon ... pioneered the Rashomon effect, a plot device that involves various characters providing subjective, alternative, and contradictory versions of the same incident.
More from Wikipedia

 

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Trump slams DC crime as 'embarrassing' ...​

Trump declared a crime emergency in the nation's capital Monday and announced the National Guard and hundreds of other law enforcement officials from various agencies will descend on the city to prevent further crimes.
"This is an emergency," Trump told the media during his press conference Monday morning announcing he is federalizing the. D.C. police force to curb crime in the city. "This is a tragic emergency. And it's embarrassing for me to be up here."

Trump slams DC crime as 'embarrassing' as he preps for high-stakes Putin meeting

President Trump calls D.C. crime situation embarrassing before Putin meeting, announces federal law enforcement deployment to combat violent gangs and criminals.

www.foxnews.com

But according to FOX DC affiliate:

By the numbers:
DC police statistics show homicides, robberies and burglaries are down this year when compared with this time in 2024. Overall, violent crime is down 26% compared with this time a year ago. In 2024, the city saw a 35% drop from 2023.

How bad is DC’s crime? A look at trends amid federal takeover

With President Donald Trump enforcing a federal takeover of D.C., here’s an in-depth look at the city’s crime rates through the years.

www.fox5dc.com

According to justice.gov

Friday, January 3, 2025
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Columbia USADC.Media@usdoj.gov
WASHINGTON - Total violent crime for 2024 in the District of Columbia is down 35% from 2023 and is the lowest it has been in over 30 years, according to data collected by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and announced by United States Attorney Matthew M. Graves.

Violent Crime in D.C. Hits 30 Year Low

Total violent crime for 2024 in the District of Columbia is down 35% from 2023 and is the lowest it has been in over 30 years, according to data collected by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and announced by United States Attorney Matthew M. Graves. A breakdown of the data is available here.

www.justice.gov

The president declares: "This is an emergency". Crime down by over 25% over two years? An "emergency"?

One obvious question, what is the actual statistical trend?
Another, why is Trump responding to this presidentially declared "emergency now after more than half a year in office?

ref:

FACT: Yes, D.C. Crime Is Out of Control

Washington, D.C. should be a symbol of pride and patriotism for the American people — and a safe location for tourists, residents, and public servants.

www.whitehouse.gov

 

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Fact-checking Trump’s claim that crime in Washington is ‘out of control’​

Trump claimed DC crime is surging to deploy the National Guard, however, the city’s preliminary data proves otherwise.
By Gabrielle Lazor, Samantha Putterman, Amy Sherman and Maria Ramirez Uribe | PolitiFact Published On 12 Aug 202512 Aug 2025
US President Donald Trump said he is deploying 800 National Guard soldiers to Washington, DC, and taking control of its police department after claiming that crime was “out of control” in the capital city.
The nation’s capital is “becoming a situation of complete and total lawlessness,” Trump said at an August 11 news conference as he invoked the Home Rule Act to take federal control of the city.
“Washington, DC, should be one of the safest, cleanest and most beautiful cities anywhere in the world, and we’re going to make it that.”
But many of the details Trump cited do not stand up to scrutiny.

Trump’s actions are a step towards making good on his threat of a federal takeover of the district after carjackers severely beat a former Department of Government Efficiency employee.
In a news briefing after Trump’s announcement, Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser said the district would cooperate with the federal government and added that she speaks with Trump often about the city’s progress on crime.
“In fact, my first meeting with him after he was elected the second time, we went over the crime trends; we went over how we are seeing decreases, so the president is read in on our efforts,” she said.

So why did Trump decide to take DC under federal control, and did he falsely claim that the crime rate had spiked in the capital city?

Can Trump invoke a federal takeover of Washington, DC, under Section 740 of DC Home Rule Act?​

Trump cannot take over the city without congressional approval. He is using an emergency provision to temporarily oversee the district’s police force.

The US Constitution created the District of Columbia as a seat of the federal government. In 1973, President Richard Nixon signed the Home Rule Act, enabling district residents to elect a mayor and city council. The law gives the district autonomy for local governance, but the city still answers to Congress on matters including budgetary oversight and the ability to overturn local legislation.

Fact-checking Trump’s claim that crime in Washington is ‘out of control’

Trump claimed DC crime is surging to deploy the National Guard, however, the city’s preliminary data proves otherwise.

www.aljazeera.com

The reason for citing off-shore news sources, they're less subject to criticism / dismissal as partisan.

OK
Perhaps to some this al Jazeera report seems to more accurately reflect the Justice department, and NBC, and contradicts FOX. So what? If this single sample is representative, which network should U.S. voters rely on? FOX? Or NBC?