Planck Foundation




GLOBAL FUTURE ANALYSIS


PROBLEMS | WEAK JOURNALISM


There are not many Lou Grants (an old US/LA originated TV series about a city newspaper) and not many Bob Woodwards (the Watergate discoverer) left in de media industry: this league is retired: we've got in return some weak babyboomers with less strong backs. The babyboomers have taken the seats of the old generation and enjoying everything the earlier protest against. Protest seems mainly based on 'we want to occupy your seats'. The babyboomers has done less good as the gene­ra­tion they protest against. Spoiled till their bones. Today's journalism is married with the powers they must question. Journalists with mortgages and sensible for the favours that powers sometimes distributed. Journa­lists that by their partners are forces to sleep on the couch when they write a story that could be danger the mortgage payments in any way. A journalist with a mortgage is a journalist with an operational/functional handicap. Less journalist dig anymore for the real stories, just write/publish what spokesmen tell. Embedded journalism is a major threat for objective information. Embedded journalism is no journalism at all, but just paid and controlled propaganda. States that needs propaganda are often not the good states with the good functioning models, otherwise they don't need propaganda. Research/opinion diversity is the well balanced pillar/motor of open well working productive societies and economies. The more opinion colours the more economic sustainable strength. Where are the journalists who reports on the Credit Crisis (and its effects), the Energy Crisis (and its effects), the Water Crisis (and its effects).


Author: Gijs Graafland


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