Boston Globe columnist, Jeff Jacoby, wrote about press bailouts after the president of Columbia University, Lee Bollinger, discussed the value of these bailouts in his recent book, “Uninhibited, Robust, and Wide-Open: A Free Press for a New Century.” In Jacoby’s article, he mentions plans addressed by the Federal Trade Commission. Many of these plans include moving government money to media outlets. In my opinion, this is a dangerous step away from free press and toward governmental control of media. Also, the news is a public service, however, tax payers should not have their money moved to news corporations if they do not plan to utilize the service. I agree with Jacoby on many aspects of this issue however one sentence is the last paragraph was discouraging.
“Whatever happens to the traditional media, journalism and news delivery will find profitable ways to endure.”
Whatever happens? Do newspapers and journalists not care about what happens to media today? Do they not care enough to create effective and innovative media, while maintaining the standard quality and ethics of journalism?
We don’t want the government’s money. We don’t need it. We need journalists and news sources to stand up and create new media, not just wait for something to happen.