A lot of this is addressed in Amusing Ourselves to Death (which I can highly recommend), but to address some specific points > it's reporting on facts, checkin

A lot of this is addressed in Amusing Ourselves to Death (which I can highly recommend), but to address some specific points > it's reporting on facts, checking sources Right, but which facts? Local restaurant inspections is probably useful since it has the potential to impact my daily life. Reporting on some kid who fell down a well in some country on the other side of the planet probably isn't, since the situation will not affect me in any tangible way. Not to downplay the event, of course. To those involved it's very important, but telling me does nothing except make me feel bad. > and providing two sides to every story. Opinions and partisan "news" are not that. The thing is, though, not every news story or societal issue has two sides. Some have more, some have fewer. Trying to find someone to provide an opposing viewpoint on an issue that reasonably shouldn't have one means that every time the news does that in the name of giving equal time it has to go further into the fringe to find some wingnut who will provide it, legitimizing and amplifying their viewpoint instead of dismissing it. Repeat that a few times over a couple of decades and you start to see the televised discourse we 'enjoy' today.