Please note: the podcast for this article is the link at the end.
“I do not believe in censorship, but I believe we already have censorship in what is called marketing theory, namely the only information we get in mainstream media is for profit”.
Sam Sheppard
“Think for yourself, or others will think for you without thinking of you”.
Henry David Thoreau
The Media
The media, once hailed as the “fourth estate” and a critical pillar of democracy, is increasingly failing to fulfill its essential duties.
Why?
Today’s news landscape faces challenges that hinder its capacity to inform the public, hold power accountable, and cultivate a well-informed citizenry.
The media’s shortcomings stem from political interference, financial pressures, the proliferation of misinformation, and polarization.
Moreover, the mainstream media increasingly sees itself as competing with social media.
Social media lacks regulation, allowing anyone to post anything that can quickly become the story of the day when retweeted by others, regardless of whether it is true or false.
Bias in the media is not new, but its forms and effects have evolved. Explicit bias—where outlets openly promote a specific agenda—has become increasingly common, as has implicit bias, in which unconscious preferences influence coverage.
Sensationalism has become a hallmark of digital media, featuring headlines crafted to provoke outrage or curiosity instead of providing information.
Indeed, the speed at which online stories emerge does not allow seasoned mainstream journalists to thoroughly vet information in this competitive environment where the priority is to get the story out first, regardless of its truthfulness.
Can the mainstream media survive this technological new world?
Not in its present form.
Not if it is beholden to an ideological line or the whims of its owners.
Not if it competes with social media and is willing to forgo accuracy for speed.
People with a specific viewpoint will gravitate toward the medium that aligns with their beliefs.
If mainstream media wants to compete with these outlets, they will either lose their identity or their audience.
Instead, mainstream media should come together to publicly endorse a set of shared values that will hold them accountable to truth and objectivity, regardless of the outcome.
Standards must be established, and both editorial boards and individual journalists must consistently adhere to them.
Editorial boards need to be established to ensure professionalism instead of adhering to a specific point of view. Their aim should be to report the truth rather than an ideology or the desires of any political leader.
They must maintain their independence from political power and not succumb to censorship or self-censorship of any kind.
They must ensure that journalists take the time needed to vet sources and stories to provide audiences with an objective and truthful report.
Commentary should differ from actual reporting. Media reports must stay objective and factual, while commentary should be limited to the op-ed pages.
Media ownership plays a role in the creation of fake news.
Audiences should choose the appropriate media outlet carefully and know who determines editorial policy if they desire news instead of opinions.
We all lose when billionaire and staunch Trump supporter Jeff Bezos owns the Washington Post and shifts it from mainstream to biased by compelling reporters to adhere to a specific line.
The same applies to FOX owners, the Murdoch family, who have built a far-right media empire in the U.S. and abroad.
Audiences cast their votes with their wallets and can ultimately compel mainstream media to adhere to the principle of truth in reporting.
The market determines the success or failure of any media outlet.
Ultimately, we consumers must demand accurate and truthful reporting, holding media owners accountable through our purchasing power.
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Sin animo de generalizar observo que varios medios de comunicación son servidores fieles a la correspondiente subvención del gobierno de turno sesgando con fines poco honestos la forma y el sentido de la información que se transmite. De pequeño me decían que la labor informativa era un claro cuarto poder. Entonces lo entendía a medias. Hoy totalmente. El problema es si ese poder en términos generales está corrupto ese cuarto poder tambien lo está. Ante tantos intereses creados se reproduce en versiones distintas la comedia de "los intereses creados" de Jacinto Benavente. Esto es una seria dificultad de difícil solución. Sigo siendo un optimista con experiencia y con años vividos con intensidad
Bravo E, in an Utopian world you are absolutely correct however in this world the power is with the money. Who will pay for the the reinvention of what we once called the real media. Who will profit? And the wheel goes round and round and the fact checking is thrown out of the window.
I wish it were not so but we have left the zones of decency and no hidden agendas.
It is hard to see how this world will get better. You know I am an optimistic person but balanced by reality that cannot be ignored.