Question

Is there a problem with the television being a major provider of news for Americans especially as it relates to politics and the political process? If so why?

Answer 1

In order for journalism to survive on television, it has to be able to make a profit. To make a profit on television, the news has to draw in the masses. To draw in the masses, news has to be entertaining. There isn't an opportunity to go into in-depth analyses of different events or proposed policies because that simply isn't entertaining and won't make a profit on television. Because of this, while many who watch the news on television aren't really politically informed because the news doesn't provide substancial info.