News for the Rich, White and Blue

NEWS FOR THE RICH, WHITE, AND BLUE by Nikki Usher deals with “How Place and Power Distort American Journalism.” Honestly, I had not given much thought to the economic pressure on mainstream news to shift tone and writing for its white, liberal audience. I prefer to think that they are pursuing (and presenting) truth, but Usher, an associate professor of journalism at the University of Illinois, effectively argues that financial constraints are reshaping the market and raises fears about a “coming news drought.” Usher notes that “the differences between the haves and have-nots of news are growing worse. … We get the democracy we deserve based on the core functions we demand from the news media.” She raises important questions like:

·       What do we want journalism to look like?

·       Can we focus more on “accountability journalism” (The Boston Globe’s direction?) and “unbundle” the core functions of professional journalism?

·       What “blind spots” exist in national and international news outlets? How can inclusiveness (e.g., fewer barriers to entry) be promoted?

·       Given an “American audience that somehow thinks that journalism should be ‘unbiased’ but nonetheless happily consumes partisan news media,” should publications more actively acknowledge the political ideologies which inform their journalism?

·       What factors make a community – and its newspapers – more or less resilient? How can we best support quality journalism in specific places?

Usher is a forceful advocate for change in the industry; she says, “Journalists have often imagined journalism, especially newspaper journalism, as a neutral actor in the communication of reality. This delusion needs to end.” I wonder how many of my students – who increasingly distrust all news outlets and newspapers – would respond to her suggestions. And, on the related topic of the future of local newspapers, I would definitely recommend Storm Lake by Art Cullen (published in 2018).