Cameron, thanks so much for this thoughtful reflection.
I worked in local TV News here in Orlando for ABC and NBC affiliates. In the past, to hold on to licenses a local station had to show that they were attending to a list of local community concerns and issues.No longer, especially as so many local stations are now owned by out of town corporations whose interest in the quality of news is often overcome by their bottom line. Recent FCC changes are allowing the big guys to hold an even higher percentage of ownership of stations in a region than in the past...leading to a narrowing of ownership that we would have previously called monopolistic. Control of content is definitely a growing issue. I believe this, along with the explosion of individualized, digital"information" curating is actually killing the legacy TV News model. So it is more important than ever to develop innovative ways of witnessing to what is really happening. We see the embryo of this in social media groups but even there, with AI, it is daily more difficult to discern what is "real". Or (interesting and disturbing thought) perhaps our human definition of "reality" is expanding to include AI concoctions. However, that does not take care of "What is truth? and Who gets to pronounce it?" Thank you so much for your "almost daily" work!
Reliable journalism outlets are diminishing at an alarming rate. We cannot rely on AI to provide credible information. Fortunately, new online media outlets are great resources. Also, the local public library includes digital newspapers and magazines.
Getting hyperlocal news in smaller communities is still a challenge.
Thanks for highlighting the need for reporting and watching!
Cameron, thanks so much for this thoughtful reflection.
I worked in local TV News here in Orlando for ABC and NBC affiliates. In the past, to hold on to licenses a local station had to show that they were attending to a list of local community concerns and issues.No longer, especially as so many local stations are now owned by out of town corporations whose interest in the quality of news is often overcome by their bottom line. Recent FCC changes are allowing the big guys to hold an even higher percentage of ownership of stations in a region than in the past...leading to a narrowing of ownership that we would have previously called monopolistic. Control of content is definitely a growing issue. I believe this, along with the explosion of individualized, digital"information" curating is actually killing the legacy TV News model. So it is more important than ever to develop innovative ways of witnessing to what is really happening. We see the embryo of this in social media groups but even there, with AI, it is daily more difficult to discern what is "real". Or (interesting and disturbing thought) perhaps our human definition of "reality" is expanding to include AI concoctions. However, that does not take care of "What is truth? and Who gets to pronounce it?" Thank you so much for your "almost daily" work!
There was once a simple Jewish man who said, '' ...you will learn the truth and the truth will make you free." I trust that he was right.
How tragic it is that this is now America! No longer a beacon of democracy in the world.
Wow! Well spoken!
Reliable journalism outlets are diminishing at an alarming rate. We cannot rely on AI to provide credible information. Fortunately, new online media outlets are great resources. Also, the local public library includes digital newspapers and magazines.
Getting hyperlocal news in smaller communities is still a challenge.
Thanks for highlighting the need for reporting and watching!