Journalists: Now "Stenographers for Power."

The quote from Jeff Cohen that opens Chater 11 is very reflective of all the information within the chapter. It is sad to think about the decline of journalism, but it is true that information is now owned and selectively reported, not exposed, to the public. I like that the authors begin this section by retelling the mythology of muckraking journalism and what it meant to be a serious reporter. Many people believed journalists were some sort of hero, but in reality they were just another portion of underpaid, overworked people.
There was always a facade about the profession, but now the facade goes deeper and is even harmful. Journalists have essentially morphed into PR flacks. All of the media is controlled and owned by a handful of huge corporations, since the media after all is a "huge, profitable business." (181) This is upsetting, considering the humble and hopeful beginnings of journalism. The authors even cover a case wherein DuPont trained journalists on how to create articles from PR-approved headlines. Now they are working together, and anyone who attempts to uphold the romantic vision of journalism is crushed by the corporate super-powers.
Corporations always seem to be the root of various problems and corruption occuring in the business world today. Giving themselves billions of dollars worth of bonuses or completely rewriting history to shape it in favor of a certain product or person. It is insulting to democracy what we have allowed happen. Journalists are no longer free thinking, free speaking members of society. They are the robotic "stenographers for power."