Rich Media, Poor Democracy

The documentary, Rich Media, Poor Democracy, really stirred up some feelings and beliefs I hold about the news industry.

America truly is the land of the free and home of the brave. There are good people out there that want to make a difference and leave a lasting impression. Unfortunately, money really is a driving force in our country’s economy. There are dozens of multi-million dollar companies that are always wanting more, more, more. Then, there is the small 10-person run company that promises they just want to work to serve others. As honest and just as that small non-profit may be, they still need money to survive.

This really is how our country works. So it makes perfect sense that CBS, NBC, and ABC are profit minded. Each company wants to be the best and will work their tails off to get there. After all, haven’t we all grown up learning that it’s best to be at the top?

Robert McChesney’s prediction of the quality of 24-hour news coverage is acceptable. If journalists are constantly just searching for the “big” story to come, coverage of other stories may just be mediocre. But how can we say that journalists in America are not as qualified as those overseas and that all of their work is basically trash?

News comes down to the journalist. It comes down to the contacts they can make and the research they can find. It comes down to how much heart they put in the story. If a journalist is there for the right reasons, they are going to do what needs to be done to report the best possible story. The CEO’s of the previously mentioned companies are the ones to blame for the lack of content and depth in a story. Remember, money is making them look good. I really hope Robert McChesney recognizes that there are great, important stories out there full of relevant content; some American journalists have done a great job of reporting them.

And as for these “fluff” stories, who’s to say they’re not important? We’re reading, watching and talking about them; obviously they’ve left some type of impression on our society.