There was once a time when a journalist would do anything short of murder to get a story. This idea was made famous by His Girl Friday, a film set in 1940s Los Angeles depicting the fast-paced, investigative aspect of journalism, in which robbery, kidnapping, lies and illegal activities are undertaken to get to the bottom of the story. Times have certainly changed, and McChesney’s article, “The Problem of Journalism,” insists that the ideals which once flourished within the field of journalism have faded over time, leaving the industry changed by commercialization and influenced by political and business interests.
Today we live in an age where the integrity of journalism is undermined by the commercial interests of its investors. McChesney states that “society needs a journalism that is a rigorous watchdog of those in power and who want to be in power, can ferret out truth from lies, and can present a wide range of informed positions on the important issues of the day.”(1) Many journalists cannot pursue their original goals in entering the profession, as pressure to speak favorably of one interest over another keeps them from speaking their minds.
The value society has placed upon entertainment has also decreased the prevalence of hard, investigative journalism. Americans wish to hear about celebrities and “fluff” stories over more serious issues. Newspapers have declined in popularity, an event that shows a correlation with the rise of blogging. Blogs create a community where individuals can speak freely and openly about any variety of topics, revolutionizing the way that information is communicated and transformed. Though “conservative ideology and commercialized, depoliticized journalism have meshed,”(22) there is the potential of the blogging community to continue this evolution into the future of journalism. Anything can become possible through human ingenuity and creativity.
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