Clueless and Scared

“Today’s news media is clueless and scared.”  A friend who was a 30 year veteran of the newspaper business recently made that candid statement about today’s condition of the news media.  And, you know what?  Even though his statement uses a pretty broad brush, I think he’s mostly correct.

Let me provide an example:  Have you heard any reporter challenge either McCain or Clinton to explain how they would lift the tax on gasoline this summer?  Heck, Congress takes a year just to clip its fingernails.  There’s not much happening on Capital Hill except more funding of the war, and there’s certainly no one up there wishing to ruffle feathers with the oil companies out of fear of losing big bucks when the next election rolls around.  But, have you heard just one reporter ask either candidate … how?!

Here’s why the reporters are timid:  (1) With all the cutbacks in the news business, they are scared of losing their jobs or (2) they are afraid they’ll get kicked off the glamor assignment of riding on the campaign bus or (3) it hasn’t occurred to them that it’s okay to ask any intelligent questions.  

The once-admirable trade of being a news reporter … a journalist … has today become dominated by a flash and trash mob, and don’t rock the boat.  TV news is just a dummied-down form of show biz … except for the NewsHour on PBS.  Newspapers have cut newsroom staffs to the point where those left are terrified of losing their jobs.

So, the politicians with all their big ideas mostly get a free ride.  Yeah, I think my friend was right.