The tribal journalism of cable news is at a crossroads.

[PatrickforO]

This piece is well written and comes from the Hill. Here is the link: https://thehill.com/opinion/technology/525004-the-tribal-journalism-of-cable-news-is-at-a-crossroads

*****
Okay, now that you have read what Joe Ferullo says, here are my own thoughts:

From the conception of radio back in the 20s, and subsequent growth of television programming beginning in the 50s, we had a thing called a Fairness Doctrine.

Basically, this doctrine called for news to be called news, and for it to be kept above the ratings - more a public service offered by a free press on a new media platform. Revenue was generated by other programs, and while there were commercials on news, the thing that drove viewership was the thoroughness of the presentation, and the quality of the presentation in terms of being factual.

Guess which party ended all that? You got it - Republicans! Ronald Reagan let the Fairness Doctrine die in 1987. News shows slowly evolved to become entertainment. They did this by increasing a 'gotcha' approach to generate controversy, which then drove up advertising revenue.

The birth of AM talk radio, and the birth and growth of Fox 'news' happened according to a plan set forth by Lewis Powell in a manifesto he wrote to the US Chamber of Commerce in 1971.

What made Powell write what he wrote, and the US Chamber take it to heart? Profits. The quest for more and more money.

We often lament that healthcare, military spending, and much of our politics supports profits over people. The interests of billionaires, corporations, and shareholders are held above those of the people, and this is enforced by the media itself driving up the costs for candidates to be elected.

You all know this, right? You want to start ending it, get rid of Citizens United, reimpose a Fairness Doctrine that defines what news is, and require networks who are using the airwaves, whether radio, television, or wifi, to offer real, factual news, treat it as that, and report it as that.

[NAO]

1. YES! Biden re-instating The Fairness Doctrine would be awesome!

[Dustlawyer]

2. +1! This!!!

This is one of the two root causes of most of our problems. The networks do what their big advertisers want. Thus the propaganda we are subjected to. This has to stop!

The other root cause is our campaign finance system. Super PACs, Dark Money, revolving door... These candidates OWE the Donors and they pay it back to stay in office. We need Public Funded Elections.

[flamin lib]

4. Wish I could rec this more than once.

What you have said here is at the heart of damn near all the ills we face as a society.

If the media, including MSNBC had been forced to give equal time Trump wouldn't have gotten $billions in free air time because as the CBS prez said, "Trump is bad for the country but great for ratings." Fox and OAN could not exist (or MSNBC either). We wouldn't have tribalism fed over the airways for profit.

[KPN]

5. Excellent and spot on post. I'm surprised

that more haven’t kicked, recommended or chimed in on this OP.

[PatrickforO]

6. LOL, hey, I write tons of stuff and not just on here.

You just have to face it if you write a lot - some of what you think is your very best work is ignored by everyone, and your fluffy stuff gets legs.

I like to quip that I churn out reams of stuff that people can use to line their gerbil cages.

[PatrickforO]

7. And, actually, one other thought - this piece is getting more play than usual.

So, thanks for your kind words!

[KPN]

8. You have a good heart. Oh, and btw, your stuff

reads and relates well.

[appalachiablue]

9. Hallelujah! After 33 years since the Fairness Doctrine was ended

by Reagan in 1987, finally it's time to do something about the Fairness Doctrine.

It was established in 1949 in response to the horrors of WWII influenced by the right wing propaganda of Nazi Germany.