Hey, Media--Just Say It!

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Time to use the “D” word

By Don Varyu

Oct 2025

 
 

h, this really irks me! I spent enough decades working for old line, established journalism organizations to deeply respect their towering icons. Their work made America work.

But now, what was once towering has gone to cowering. 

And it’s not just them; much of the “new breed” of independent voices…on podcasts and online…are loud, but often just as guilty of shrinking from the moment. 

Thousands of hours are spent writing and pronouncing the same watered-down phrases to describe what’s happening in America. “We’re on an authoritative path;” “this poses a real threat to our democracy;” “there are echoes here of fascism.”

Enough!! Just come out and say what you already know: we are currently and fully living in a damn dictatorship! “DONALD TRUMP IS A DICTATOR!”

I know; saying this out loud might do more than just ruffle feathers on the right. The White House might get mad. People might complain you’re biased.

So what!? SPEAKING THE TRUTH IS YOU DAMN JOB! 

Maybe you think America is not really there yet. If so, let me ask you this: when we finally arrive at a full and obvious dictatorship…how will it look or sound one tiny bit different from what’s happening right now?

et me try to clafify.

First, the Mirriam Webster dictionary defines a dictator in two ways:

  • one holding complete autocratic control 

  • one ruling in an absolute and often oppressive way

Does this remind you of anyone? Doesn’t this perfectly describe him? 

There is no one to tell him “no.” As I’ve said before, the north star of his operating philosophy is a single phrase: “Who’s gonna stop me?” With him, twas always thus.

Second, I spent a good number of years cashing paychecks issued by NBC. I still know people inside that company. Recently, two current NBC employees, high enough to know the truth, told me about an edict issued internally (and quietly) by the people who run the news division. To paraphrase, for their flagship NBC Nightly News and Today programs:

  • Political coverage will be restricted to simple facts; e.g., if Trump or Schumer or some other ranking politician says something newsworthy on camera, only their soundbites will be aired. No analysis, no opposing viewpoint, no criticism.

  • Plus, no reporting will be done describing the negative impact of any federal governmental actions  on individuals or groups of citizens. For example, they saw critical stories of DOGE spiked.

 The purpose of this is obvious: don’t make anyone in the White House mad.

It’s worth noting that NBC’s chief rivals, ABC and CBS, have both been sued by Trump and cowardly agreed to pay him a lot of money to settle cases they easily could have defeated in court. And both have seen their late-night talk show hosts directly smeared by Trump…and face immediate or ultimate banishment.  

Will NBC be next? How long can Saturday Night Live survive?

ale professor Timothy Egan is a specialist in the historic rise of dictatorships. He’s studied a century’s worth of examples across a wide range of nations. He wrote a short, incisive book called, On Tyranny. In it, the very first warning is, “don’t obey in advance.” This is exactly what we’ve seen in America in this era from a wide range of powerful people who have no need to obey. That includes tech billionaires afraid of tariffs…top universities flinching at the threat of cuts in government funding…to news organizations recoiling from angry words threats blasted via Truth Social. Leaders (and owners) in each of these categories have the full right and economic muscle to fight back. They don’t have to obey; but they do anyway.

The people who now own the top of news organizations are focused on protecting their stock prices. 

The people working inside those news organizations should be dedicated to clearly and calmly telling the truth.

If not now, when? Later will be too late.

To journalists, I ask you: stop cowering. 

Start saying the worde: “dictator.”