Matt Wells: Has Katrina saved the US media?. Interesting, although it would have been good to have had a non-US assessment of the state of the american media with regard to domestic issues before all this, um, blew up.
2 Replies to “Katrina and the US media”
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I am far from an expert, but the US media has lacked teeth for years.
They practice info-tainment in broadcasting, and the gradual corporate absorption of print media has guaranteed a loyalty to advertising interests, rather than truth.
The Bush administration is also notorious for its attitude of complete obliviousness when it comes to media reports and opinions, and has a reputation for professional reprisals against those who would speak out . . .
I sincerely doubt the US will be able to maintain its outrage over the next few years until the next election. The racial, class and status issues raised by the Katrina response are far too chilling for anyone without a silver spoon firmly clamped in their mouth.
an unusually naive piece of journalism from the beeb. in america, more than most countries, there is a constant tension between instituations: press v government, states v feds, congress v the judiciary v the presidency, etc. it is always events, such as this one, that changes the “balance of power” in the relationship between these institutions. katrina is just the latest example. The press is now stronger, the presidency and the federal government is now weaker. how long this will last is anyone’s guess. as an aside, i wonder what a US (or other non-british) assessment of the british media would look like? and who in britain would care about it?