Glenn Reynolds explains the reasons for the problems in mainstream media as laziness, bias, and ineptitude in his most recent article A Media Meltdown? on Tech Central Station:
Though it’s looking less likely than it was a few weeks ago, John Kerry could still pull off a win in this presidential election. But there’s already one clear loser: the so-called “mainstream media” of network television and major newspapers. Whoever winds up in the White House next year, the position of these traditional media outlets (or “legacy media” as some call them) continues to decline.
I’m not the only one to have noticed Glenn’s article (natch—he posted a link on Instapundit). Steve Taylor, James Joyner, and others have noted it and commented.
I think there’s another reason that Glenn might consider. Call it the “Little Man Behind the Curtain” effect.
The very last thing I am is a newspaper insider (somebody call Jeff Jarvis) but I do pay attention. Years ago every major newspaper in the country had overseas staffs and, possibly, Washington staffs as well and quite a substantial staff of local reporters and various stringers, too. Whether it’s due to economization, corporatization, or strategic decision these staffs have shrunk or been eliminated over the years. The role of this in-house staff has been replaced by wire services and other news feeds from just a few major outlets. The functions have been outsourced¹.
Have you ever noticed that regardless of what TV news you watch, radio news you listen to, or newspaper account you read, you get pretty much the same stories often in exactly the same words? Those are press releases and wire service stories you’re listening to often with very little editing. The big newspapers aren’t nearly so big anymore and with smaller staffs there are fewer people learning the skills that used to be commonplace. There are a lot more copywriters re-writing wire service copy and a lot fewer reporters.
That’s what happens when you outsource—you no longer cultivate the skills that have been outsourced.
But the big newspapers are still pretending that they are what they were and that they’re doing what they used to do. It reminds me of that scene in the movie The Wizard of Oz. Dorothy and her friends have returned triumphant after defeating the Wicked Witch of the West. They stand before the Wizard of Oz (or so they think)—an enormous fiery head bellowing at them deafeningly. Dorothy’s dog, Toto, pursuing a cat draws back the curtain concealing a small control room. There’s a little man in the room shouting into a microphone. “Pay no attention to the little man behind the curtain…” The illusion is broken. There is no wizard.
¹ Outsourcing means subcontracting a function previously performed by in-house staff to another company or independent contractor. It’s off-shoring when the other company or independent contractor is overseas.
