Does New Media have an obligation to expose crooked Pols?

rwojick

Suppose the news media is given proof that a Politician is crooked?

For example, if the local newspaper is given proof that an elected official takes kick backs then can the paper stay silent and continue to write articles on that Politician?

And if that Politician buys news time at the TV station then can it be constured that the station and the Politician are in a conspiracy to defruad the Public?

Quid pro quo. The tv station says to the Pol "It is ok for you to defraud the public provided you split the loot with us by buying TV time with the money."

Wouldn't this tend to get the Politician re elected only to have the cycle repeated again?

The key is that the news media has "proof". Can they stay silent and keep the Politician's secret without joining the conspiracy that created the kick back in the first place?

What do you think about this?

joshumu

And yet it happens all the time, usually less directly. For instance. If the policies of said corrupt politician will lead to more profit through looser regulations, should the media expose him? Well of course. But they wont until we make them. I would say its time we make them. You know how to make a Molotov, right?

Vrythramax

I think that the media's responsibilty to report the new is only limited by how much money they stand to make off a given topic. If exposing a politician for taking kickbacks is going to make them more money that accepting money from the same politician for advertising...they will go with whichever one stand to make them more longer.

I am contantly amazed at how some media outlets focun in on one story (almost to the exclusion of all others) and beat the subject to death...not so much because it is (IMO) newsworthy, but because it sells.

I believe the media does have a responsibilty to report the news of a politician who is doing anything they shouldn't...IF they have the proof. Otherwise it is only a allegation and shouldn't be reported at all.

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