Questioning Newspapers

In "Goodbye to the Age of Newspapers," Paul Starr outlines some of the key functions of newspapers, including the role of watchdog over the government, as a linkage between consumers and businesses, and as an agenda-setting source for other news outlets. Although, I am in agreement with these purposes, I am not completely sold on the idea that newspapers are the quintessential news source, or that the quality of newspapers has declined solely due to low profits and reporter layoffs.

Journalists and reporters simply do not reiterate facts; they interpret them and they decide what is most valuable or newsworthy (Goldberg, Bernard - Bias: A CBS Insider Exposes How the Media Distort the News). They don't report every fact or provide purely neutral perspectives; there is potential for bias and misinformation much like in radio and television news sources. Journalists are most likely well-educated and possibly come from similar socioeconomic backgrounds, and therefore may have uniform views that influence the way they illustrate news stories, which may discourage well-rounded or comprehensive understanding from the public audience.

Starr also emphasizes the positive effects newspapers have on consumers and business. This led me to think about the potential pressure media can receive from these corporate advertisers. Some businesses may want to advertise their goods and services in papers that display facts and stories only in particular lights that can attract targeted populations. They may attempt to control the style of stories on a partisan basis, or a foundation that focuses on entertainment and enthusiasm rather than raw, objective news.

I cannot agree that the quality of newspapers has dwindled due purely to economic factors, or that certain papers fare better than others on the basis of the "survival of the fattest" (amount of advertisements). Similar to television news, newspapers compete for attention, and journalists, editors, and businesses can have a great deal of influence on how stories and facts are depicted.