The Future of News (Redux)

I'm listening to Mark Giangreco on the radio, discussing how television news outlets are now sharing cameras and reports in the name of efficiency. He's concerned that without competition, there are no winners.

I have conflicting feelings about the media. On the one hand, I think it's necessary to have a free press to help us to be aware of what's happening in the world. On the other hand, I don't believe that ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, or Fox do this very well. Our mass media depends far too much on advertising, which is determined by consumer interest and not necessarily insightful reporting decisions. Also, we're very hyper-focused on what's happening inside of our borders. It's difficult to see ground-level, human scenes of life in Iraq - a place where we have been engaged in war.

Thanks to the Internet and the information age, we don't have to rely on the major media outlets for news. Like with print media, there appears to be a paradigm shift happening. So, cost-cutting measures (like sharing a camera or feed from an event) seem inevitable.

Here's what I hope is happening: people are letting news outlets know, by way of ignoring the traditional ad-based approach, that they want more from these shows. Not Glenn Beck histrionics, but substance.

The BBC covers actual world events, not just the events that concern England directly. The Daily Show infuses a healthy dose of comedy into a very well-written "fake" news program (including some amazing interviews). I was a big fan of Meet the Press with Tim Russert at the helm because he asked questions that I would want to ask of high-ranking officials (if I had the stones). I think George Stephanopolous is approaching that level of insight on his Sunday-morning show.

There are lots of resources online now, and I think that where a reporter from Huffington Post might have gotten snubbed a few years ago, they'll probably get face time over a local television affiliate at this point. I'm not sure I'd recognize any of the Huffington Post writers by name, but is that the most important thing anymore?