The media's primary mission is to inform, not entertain. Their rights are granted so they may elevate and educate by informing us of what are often difficult, nuanced and unwelcome truths. As it stands, this public mission is being forsaken in the name of private profit. It thus stands starkly before us as a modern market failure. Full Story »
Posted by Julian Friedland
Remember the 1940s films about newspapers? The journalist/hero had integrity, was concerned with "the public's right to know". Not with writing to the grandmother with a third grade education. Could it be that our educational system and business model, neither of which values critical thinking, has influenced the dumbing down of the news into shock, ain't it a shame, and Paris Hilton? Seems to me a 7% return to stockholders should be sufficient, IF informing the public were valued.
