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Dialogues@RU is published
annually
by the
Writing Program at
Rutgers, The State
University of New Jersey
Volume 4
Fall 2005
Polemical Hacks, Bastardized Gonzo,
and the Death Of Democracy - Page 11
By Eric Kaufmann
Even where standards are not as clearly set, as on the Internet, one can locate anything from the writings of the new pamphleteers, to chat room debates, to political blogs. While there is more risk involved as to the accuracy of information posted, the Internet provides a fast and convenient medium for public discourse that be can accessed from virtually anywhere in the world. Use and consumption of information on the Internet, as well as for any other form of media, falls under the old adage, "buyer beware" - although many of the "facts" and ideas one finds are essentially free. There is no such thing as equal quality of information in journalism, on the Internet, or anywhere else for that matter. As people become more Internet-savvy, and become more concerned in general about the information they consume, they will turn to those news sources of information in the media that satisfy their demands. Furthermore, I would briefly add that there appears to be a certain tension between Kaufmann's criticism of broadcast media as too sensationalist and his emphasis on the benefits of negative campaigning. It seems that the latter benefits almost entirely from the former.
There are indeed certain aspects of the media that could most definitely use some serious reform. One of the best, and often most cited, suggestions, which Kaufmann makes himself, is to make broadcast media more competitive, because currently, consumers are left to choose among three massive networks that are said to own all of the news programs in the US. It is not as if it is so easy to shut the news off either, when we find it everywhere - on the radio, on televisions in public areas, etc. But this change is not likely to occur until there is a more pressing cry from the public for the national government to apply some antitrust or other legislation to control the capitalistic excesses of the media market. In fact, I would submit that the "anomie of democracy" that Kaufmann stresses is inseparable from those forces of material excess and ceaseless drive for money, power and ratings that endanger American democracy. Another area of reform that Kaufmann cites is the need for higher standards in graduate journalistic education, and the idea that journalists ought to be educated in the principles and practices of political discourse seems highly reasonable.
But one other area of improvement that Kaufmann could have emphasized is the greater need for more government and corporate accountability, as it is closely tied in with the media industry. The alienation that people feel from their national government is not wholly or primarily due to media sensationalism, yet rather to politicians who are far more closely aligned with elite money and interests. One does not need the media to ultimately reach this conclusion. All one has to do is take a good look at growing inequality in American and a middle-class that is strapped with most of the burden of a widening national deficit. The media may make people biased, but these are the facts. A call for media reform will naturally involve a call for serious economic and social reform as well.
Response
Eric Kaufmann
Ryan Gogol correctly grasps the implications of reexamining democracy in the United States, and, in the final analysis, we agree on what will have to occur: media reform, and improved government and corporate accountability. Unlike Gogol, however, I do not find that media reform requires, or would be aided by, changes in government and non-media corporate accountability. On the contrary, media reform, specifically with respect to journalistic education, and to reactionary and sensational coverage, must come first. Reform within government and corporations can be affected by those who ultimately control those institutions, that is, voters and employees. In order to do so, accurate information and analysis is necessary. This can only be provided by a reformed, and yes, decentralized media committed to creating a context for dialogue on political and non-political issues alike. As for Gogol's claim that the media does promote informed political discourse, scholarly magazines and journals such as The Economist or Foreign Affairs are not likely to be found in one's local dentist office or hair salon. I will let the events surrounding Newsweek this May speak for themselves.