There’s a good article in American Journalism Review about the decline of Investigative Journalism. As newspapers have seen circulation plummet, they have cut costs and jobs, and cut back on investigative reporting due to expense. There’s a great tradition of investigative reporting, including Watergate, in which the media serves as a watchdog against corruption in society and government. Investigative reporting takes time and money, and most newspapers can’t afford it. Although some nonprofit organizations have tried to pick up the slack, it’s not enough. Most website operators and bloggers don’t have the resources to conduct investigative reporting. Without investigative reporting, we’ll become a less informed society. What’s your opinion about the decline of investigative journalism? Please comment below. (Photo of Don Barlett and Jim Steele, Pulitizer Prize Winning Investigative Reporters, from barlettandsteele.com ).
For once, I am in total agreement with Professor Larry Atkins which is rare. An independent free press with the ability to investigate is a pillar of a great and flourishing society. The USA has clearly set the standard for that in the past.
I was a long time ago (just out of grad school), an economic crime investigator for the DA in Phila. and got to see up close and personal the enormity of criminal activity in this fair city alone. I also had so-called friends who conducted surreptitious and nefarious undertakings and are now safely at a new address under government supervision (and rightly so).
Without watch dogs and proper controls, unchecked, that type of activity will lead to the decline of our great nation and culture as it currently exists. We cannot allow newspapers and their investigative hounds to go out of business. How about a “bailout” for them Mr. Obama? OK I couldn’t resist a dig, forgive me.
I don’t think we’ve ever been a well-informed society to begin with. There will always be a small percentage of people who know what’s going on, and a large percentage of idiots who spend their entire day doing gym, tanning and laundry.
Newspapers are dying though, and will be completely dead in 40 years. I can’t ever seen more than 1% of anyone under 30 buying a newspaper. Why go through the hassle of buying a paper when you can just go online or watch news on demand?