> real heart of the question which is whether the press is a net positive source of information Having read through most of the comments I get the feeling ther

> real heart of the question which is whether the press is a net positive source of information Having read through most of the comments I get the feeling there is an underlying expectation that "the press" or "journalists" are independent and free by default. They aren't. It's a democratic achievement that was decades in the making and comes at a premium of either paying journalists directly, or setting aside tax money to fund it. If a society decides it doesn't want to bear the cost, the media will reflect it.