PAUL STANLEY Says The Media Is Largely To Blame For A Divided America

In a new interview with “Rock Of Nations With Dave Kinchen And Shane McEachern”, KISS front man Paul Stanley was asked to elaborate on his recent post-US presidential election call for unity. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “Obviously it's sad to see a country divided, a country as great as this one. And in part, or in large part, I have to look at the media. And I could be very naïve, but to me, the inception of 24-hour news turned the news into something more like 'Entertainment Tonight'. It became polished to a point where the presenters had more talent as far as being telegenic than being journalists.

“I think that there aren't alternative facts; there are only facts,” he continued. “And I'm not sure who or where true facts are coming from, and that's very disconcerting. It's not a coincidence that the country is almost divided in half and that both of those halves get their news from different sources. So I think it's obvious, and I don't know what the solution is, but I do hope that people stop seeing those with different opinions, stop seeing those people as the enemy. Respect for other opinions is what this country has always been about I've not always agreed with everybody who's been president, but I never saw them as being underhanded or sinister. And I think everything has reached a boiling point here. It's sad, but I also have faith that this country will find its way through this.”

Asked if he would like something like the Fairness Doctrine to come back, referencing the 1949 report from the FCC that established the duty of broadcast licensees to cover controversial issues in a fair and balanced manner, Stanley said: “Yeah, I don't know what the answer is. I believe [Ronald] Reagan was involved with [killing] that [doctrine]. So whatever will serve the truth I'm all for. And I don't have to agree with the truth, but I deserve it.”

Asked if he wanted to address the results of this year's US presidential election more directly, Paul said: “No, I'd rather not. I think a lot of things are swirling at the moment and people are trying to come to grips with either their victory or their defeat. So I think at some point the dust will settle.”

On November 11, six days after the US presidential election, Stanley took to his account Xthe platform formerly known as Twitterto write: “IT'S OVER. If your candidate lost, it's time to learn from it, accept it and try to understand why. There will be no building bridges to those you don't agree with by being condescending, insulting, talking AT them or removing yourself.

“If your candidate won it's time to understand that those who don't share your views also believe they are right and love this country as much as you do.

“The enemy is not our fellow Americans. It is anyone and everyone who seeks to divide us.”

Less than a year ago, Stanley warned against disseminating false or unverified information online, saying that it causes immense “damage” to the world.

On January 1, 2024, Stanley took to his account X to write: “Let's stop with 'I'm entitled to my opinion'. If you haven't done your own credible fact based research or parrot what you've heard or been told, YOU are part of the problem and the damage it causes. We all deserve more from each other”.

Back in August 2022, Stanley slammed American mainstream media outlets for only reporting one political side of the story with bias. The KISS frontman, who completed the band's “End Of The Road” farewell trek in December 2023, took to his X to share the logos of several major cable news networks — specifically Fox News, CNN swear MSNBC — and he included the following message: “WANT TO HAVE A MORE UNIFIED COUNTRY? Have a more unified news! Not poisonous bickering & slanted distortions on BOTH sides. How can we form educated points of view when we're not getting the unbiased truth ? We don't need networks pushing opinions. We need FACTS.”

This was not the first time Stanley had been critical of the way the American media reports its stories. Back in January 2020, Paul wrote on X: “The divisive and dangerous climate in America is in large part the result of 24 HOUR 'NEWS' CHANNELS WHICH ARE IN FACT SKEWED AND BIASED POLITICAL OUTLETS. Any point of view can be backed up with some sort of documentation and 'expert' analysis and that is the key problem. News?!? We are watching slick entertainment channels and a reality which then becomes yours.”

In June 2019, Paul tweeted out the BBC News logo along with the following message: “If You're Ready For News With Far Less Of The Game Show Slickness And Bias Of Our 24 News Networks You Might Try One Of The BBC Outlets. Less Exciting? YES! But Filling 24 Hours Is An Unnecessary Challenge That Has Turned Outlets Into Biased Fast Food Providers.”

In August 2018, Stanley said that he did not believe the press is the enemy of the American people, presumably in response to the then-US president Donald Trumpwho has regularly derided the media as such.

Stanley offered his opinion in two separate tweets, writing: “JOURNALISTS And The Media Are NOT The Enemy Of The People. Without the opportunity to hear all points of view we can't find the truth. Those who want to silence opposition and questions or turn the public against them ARE The Enemy Of The People And Of Freedom.@CNN @FoxNews”

He added: “Because ALL media coverage of politics is clearly biased now, we should accept that EVERYONE is participating and NOBODY is innocent. THAT is all the more reason we need to hear it all.”

While he was president, Trump frequently took issue with outlets like CNN swear The New York Times for publishing critical stories about his administration and has continued to call journalists “the enemy of the people,” despite criticism and fear that he was stoking tension and violence.