Strategically Communicating

So, having read about the truly sad state of American journalism, I can’t help but wonder if the perfect system is unattainable. McChesney’s financial solutions are great in theory, but subsidies would never fly in today’s political climate, and without strong financial backing, news organizations won’t have the resources to do better work.

Our political system and our media organizations are equally at fault. Without resources, news organizations cannot keep corporations and politicians in check. Corporations save money and protect their interests in Washington, D.C. by withholding those resources. Finally, politicians understand that they have power over the journalists and tend to say whatever they want to say knowing that their statements are taken at face value.

The emergence of citizen journalism might counter some of these trends. Without managing editors or corporate ownership to consider, citizens are less constrained in what they can “publish.” Cell phone videos and first-hand descriptions that are mostly popular on social networks have made their way to mainstream media. For example, cell phone video of Lybia’s revolution has become a primary source for news. However, it is also important to understand that citizens who produce this kind of news have their own biases.

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Is citizen journalism any more trustworthy than corporate media?

What motivation do politicians have to revive the investigative function of journalism if they are the ones that are being investigated?