I still don't understand how we made it through the 00s with trust in television news media still fully intact, at least here in the US. the nation was basical

I still don't understand how we made it through the 00s with trust in television news media still fully intact, at least here in the US. the nation was basically united in wanting to invade Iraq/Afghanistan all because the talking heads on TV manufactured that consent. it wasn't a "party lines" or "oh that was just FOX News" kind of thing—the news stations were a united front in getting us to believe in something absolutely ridiculous, and we accepted it at face value because we were scared and confused following 9/11. we now know it was all bullshit that resulted in the further unnecessary loss of life, American and otherwise, yet millions of Americans still "trust" these "news" programs implicitly—it's The News, why would you question it? now these same news stations with overly-polished talking heads—including "former" intelligence agency regulars—and pharmaceutical advertising money (most Americans never bat an eye at the pharma ads on TV and how creepy and weird they are, or are even aware that they're illegal in most of the rest of the world) claim to be the Arbiters of Truth and The Best, Perhaps Only Way To Stay Informed, and we eat it right up. my dad thinks he's consuming a "balanced news diet" by watching the nightly news from every station. it's insanity. turn it off and don't look back. they call it programming for a reason.