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Jewish World Review May 7, 2013/ 27 Iyar, 5773 Would things go better with Koch? By Cal Thomas
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
"Mainstream media" are alarmed by reports that billionaires When
When news of the Koch brothers' interest in their paper reached the That should make things easier for the Kochs. They can start by replacing liberal quitters and others whose ideology has turned off conservative readers. They could hire reporters and editors who will try to win back readers and advertisers by providing the type of ideologically balanced coverage they seek. There are many good unemployed and underpaid journalists who could report the news fairly and without bias. They might leap at the chance to work for a paper whose owners would make a strong financial commitment. Why do liberals consider themselves uniquely objective, when numerous surveys have shown the opposite to be true and much of the public doesn't buy it?
Newspapers, like all media, are businesses first. If they can't make a profit because too many readers don't like or trust their product, they will go out of business, or reduce their size and coverage to something smaller and less substantial. The First Amendment is of little use if one can't afford a printing press. Why should this matter? It should matter because strong and healthy journalism is essential if government is to be held accountable. That's why the nation's Founders chose the press as the only profession -- as outrageous as it was in the 18th century -- to enshrine in the Bill of Rights. Without a strong journalistic watchdog, government runs amok. Newspapers, especially, can't sustain good reporting without money to hire talented reporters. If readers have turned away from their product, newspapers won't have the resources to fulfill their mission. Kochs have the money. Why not the Kochs? What media elites fear most is the further erosion of their place in the news hierarchy. One might think self-interest -- the possibility of keeping a job -- would trump ideology at the
This year's "State of the Media" report by The It can't get much worse for newspapers. Perhaps things might get better with the Kochs.
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JWR contributor Cal Thomas is co-author with Bob Beckel, a liberal Democratic Party strategist, of "Common Ground: How to Stop the Partisan War That is Destroying America". Comment by clicking here.
© 2011, Tribune Media Services, Inc.
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