Nonpartisan

As a society, we rightly place high value on a free press. Now, we seem to be rapidly approaching a time when we must decide if we also want an unbiased press.

For example, let's consider three major news magazines: Time, Newsweek, and U.S. News & World Report. As sources of useful, unbiased information, Time and Newsweek are practically worthless because of their partisan liberal natures. In contrast, U.S. News & World Report, while nowhere near perfect, has over the years provided us with important information that could be used as ammunition by conservatives against liberalism and by liberals against conservatism.

But, perhaps for that very reason, USN & WR recently had to go from being a weekly magazine to a biweekly one. It is struggling financially. Time and Newsweek, practically worthless though they be, are healthier financially. Are they healthier because people are more supportive of partisan media and are cancelling subscriptions to less partisan media like USN & WR? Is the latter struggling in part because it published information inconvenient to both liberals and conservatives?

If so, we are heading into dangerous waters. We need strong watchdogs who value truth, who will expose wrongdoing by powerful people whether liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican. We should never settle for a situation where we only have partisan media. While there is clearly a place for partisan media, by their very nature they are not as strong as nonpartisan media because they don't have the general public behind them---they only have a faction of the general public behind them, and they are viewed somewhat skeptically by the other faction. Powerful, corrupt people being exposed by partisan media can use this skepticism about partisan media to their advantage.

A healthy society needs a free, strong, nonpartisan, trustworthy, and respected press as a counterbalance to whatever corruption exists amongst powerful politicians, businesspeople, etc. Right now, according to numerous surveys, the credibility of the dominant media is extremely low (and deservedly so).

According to journalism's Code of Ethics: "The duty of the journalist...is seeking truth and providing a fair and comprehensive account of events and issues. Conscientious journalists from all media and specialties strive to serve the public with thoroughness and honesty." Too many journalists are ignoring their own code. Hence the low credibility of the dominant media.

As a society, we need to create and strongly support nonpartisan media which will fire or terminate the employment of journalists who are biased in their coverage of the news, who are biased about the corruption they expose, etc. It is in our vital self-interest to do so, at least if we want to reduce the odds of corruption taking over our country.