Media consolidation, diversity and progress.

[mdhunter]

I am struck by the association between progress and the diversity, or lack thereof, of media sources.

Consider that in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s the U.S. had an immense inequity problem, labor was marginalized, corporate scandal carried the day, and prospects for the nation looked, well, bleak. Newspapers were still highly partisan things; single objective news sources were relatively rare.

The increasing period of media consolidation from 1940-1980 or thereabout, represents the greatest period of liberal progress in this country. The big three networks brought people through the 60’s, major city papers were professionalized. When there were definitive news sources that were reliable and reasonably well respected, this country seemed to do better, and it helped the progressives.

Now we are faced with two trends, while big media is consolidating more (and in a more anti-local way than before), there is, via the internet and alternate sources, an increasing diversity of news outlets. Further, they appear to be retreating to a 1900 style of journalism and are becoming increasingly partisan (and think this happening more on the right).

I feel, and fear, this is associated with a decline of liberal progress, the fracturing of the nation, and general malaise. Overtly partisan news allows people to pick and choose only those opinions that suit them, it shields reality – if not from the facts, then from the differing opinion that we all must face in the real world. The logical extension of the current fracturing of news outlets is even further diversity; a news source catering only to small subgroups – a CNN just for Southern straight black males, for example.

So, thanks blogs, for doing your part in increasing the rich/poor divide, fostering animosity, and perhaps undercutting liberal progress. Maybe some day in the future, I’ll become my own personal newsroom.