The Future of News

Have you noticed that politicians are giving the press a lot more lip lately? Fox reports that President Bush is trading blows with the NY Times on the GI Bill. CBS reports that “attacking the media has now become a Clinton campaign talking point.” And Roger Simon points out that even McCain, who has traditionally enjoyed a positive relationship with the press, has been grumbling about them recently.

It must be either that: 1) politicians have always criticized the press this much, but we are finally hearing them via New Media, or 2) politicians are deliberately stepping-up the assaults knowing they can finally circumvent mainstream media’s “national conversation.” And if the latter is true, this may be the first time in history Washington has been ahead of the rest of the country. These politicians are creating an alternative stream of news stories to feed alternative news outlets, setting the stage for a more partisan and more fragmented press. They are transforming news from a national conversation to a multitude of voices competing in a marketplace of ideas. Journalism’s authoritative voice will be out, and “yakety yak” will be in.