The 24/7 news cycle

NEW YORK Bara snabbt: lång story i Salon om hur de amerikanska nyhetssajterna fungerar: fokus på stories som John Edwards dyra hårklippning och diverse citat och skvaller, istället för rejäla granskningar och genomgångar av sakfrågor. Lite paradoxalt – i undersökningar efterfrågar folk saklig information, men det är de klickvänliga och mest mailade artiklarna som vinner och driver trafik till sajterna.

The real harm inflicted by the behavior [politico.com:s redaktör John] Harris describes isn't that we're all subjected to an endless stream of worthless gossip from our political journalists. That's more of an avoidable annoyance than anything else. It's that the trashy gossip completely crowds out any discussion of anything that actually matters, allowing our government and political class generally to get away with the most extreme acts of corruption, lawbreaking and destruction while those assigned to "report" on what they're doing prattle on about haircuts, horse races, and an endless stream of soap opera storylines. Those who know best how to feed journalists their easy, gossipy items are those who best manipulate their "reporting."

Som jag skrev tidigare i våras har Elizabeth Edwards idkat liknande mediekritik.

/Gunilla