National Public Newspaper?

Mark Steyn:

In her report on Moody's possible downgrading of The New York Times to junk status, Michelle Malkin concludes with a throwaway line:

Anyone smelling a bailout plea coming on?

I hadn't thought about it like that but now you mention it, it sounds all too plausible.

From time to time^[1] I’ve encountered talk about whether “professional journalism” (usually meaning: journalism as presently practiced by most of the MSM) is “commercially viable.”  I expect that in coming weeks we’ll be hearing even more talk (and seeing more stories) about the “vital role” that an “independent, unbiased, speaking-truth-to-power” press plays in a democracy, and how we “can’t afford” to have it disappear.

What won’t be addressed is the degree to which the problems of the press are self-inflicted (e.g., the objectivity issue or the MBA-ization of the media in general^[2]).  Equally verboten will be any consideration of whether an organization which depends on the government for its survival can ever be “independent, unbiased, speaking-truth-to-power.”

And anyway, getting the government to pry money out of others to prop up your failing operation is always easier than looking within, finding the problems, and fixing them.  Just look at Wall Street.

Related:

Via:  IP
-----

Posted by: Old Grouch in The Press at 16:34:01 GMT | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 269 words, total size 4 kb.