Commentary–

There’s Hope For The News, Despite Trends

 By Jason Salzman

Here are the latest trends in news, and they aren’t looking good.

First, and possibly most frightening, is that we are seeing the rise of ideological, not fair and accurate, programming.

Most obvious is the FOX network, owned and run by arch conservatives, and shown by many media critics, like Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, as having a corresponding conservative agenda. Some analysts predict that a liberal network will soon emerge to battle FOX in the ideological news war. While this might sound encouraging to liberal partisans, it’s actually a step backward for journalism, which needs more than ever more outlets that meet the profession’s basic standards. Talk radio also remains a polarizing force in the media landscape, with conservative shows dominating but the liberal network Air America on the rise.

Second, we’re seeing more and more infotainment, which is that toxic mix of news and entertainment. Entertainment values trump news values across the media landscape, especially in broadcast news. If there’s a choice between serious news and fluff, fluff usually wins! The latest victim was CNN’s NewsNight with Aaron Brown, a thoughtful program, which was replaced by the shrill Anderson Cooper 360. It’s no wonder that people are losing confidence in journalism. What do you think when you look for news on TV and you find infotainment.

Third, we’re seeing increasing fragmentation of news audiences.

Once, network news on television and the daily newspaper reigned. No more. Audiences are not only abandoning news shows altogether, but they’re tuned into cable, Internet, radio, and other niche outlets. While the major news outlets continue to dominate news production, fragmentation is nonetheless pushing advertising revenues down, putting pressure on news departments to cut staff and expenses.

The last and most confounding news trend is the continued consolidation of news and information corporations. Television, music, radio, cable, publishing, and Internet are dominated by fewer than two dozen major corporations — with most power in the hands of ten conglomerates. This is down from down from 50 companies 20 years ago.

The dangers are clear. Foremost among them is the potential for media owners to abuse their power, insert their views — including their preference in political candidates — in news coverage, and skew information that citizens rely on in a democracy.

What’s a citizen to do?

First, try to make journalism better. If you see local coverage that’s over the top, let media outlets know. Use letters to the editor, guest opinions, calls, or emails to journalists. You can also suggest news stories to reporters. If there’s a big story in your area about, say, a rape, make sure advocates of rape awareness insists that substantive stories about prevention are covered as part of day-to-day crime reporting. You should likewise protest in front of news outlets that continue to offend you. Media protests get noticed in newsrooms and spark public debate and education.

Second, as an individual, you should consume a variety of news. Many people find their comfort zone, like a newspaper, and never venture out of it, into, say, the strange world of local TV news. But to understand our country, and the issues confronting journalism, you have to educate yourself about the full spectrum of news sources.

Finally, and probably most importantly, you cannot give up the fight for media reform. This means, ultimately, pressuring Congress to pass laws that, without censorship, protect news outlets from the market forces that currently threaten it.

At times this battle seems hopeless, despite last year’s incredible and heartening-grassroots revolt against the Federal Communications Commission’s proposal to allow giant media corporations to get even bigger. I know, we need to make these giant corporations get smaller, so stopping them from growing doesn’t feel too good. Yet, we won partially in Congress and eventually in the courts, and in the process, a bipartisan constituency formed in support of media reform.

It’s this movement that provides our best hope for a better day for journalism.

(Jason Salzman is the author of Making the News: A Guide for Nonprofits and Activists, and board chair of Rocky Mountain Media Watch, a Denver-based media watchdog organization.)