Courtiers and Courtesans, by Robert Gore
Mainstream media is filled with courtiers and courtesans. The media’s dereliction of its watchdog duty and devolution to propaganda organ has been an indispensable adjunct to the expansion of the government and its powers. The lust for power, though invariably corrupting, is understandable: it’s good to be the King. Those seeking it may believe their motivations are honorable, at least at the outset. Toadying to those in power, on the other hand, never rises above contemptible, which is why so many of today’s media lights are such unsubstantial and often grotesque people, on a par with run of the mill Hollywood celebrities and other such zephyrs and gargoyles.
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It often makes one uncertain of anything publicized.
The only group bias I see is corporate because they're corporations, so I guess we could call that a "right-wing" bias, but that implies an ideological starting point. The apparent right-wing bias I see is a result of their ownership rather than a starting point or anything at all conspiratorial.
Fortunately the new media have reduce the old media's power as gatekeepers. The problem you talk about, though, with journalists afraid to alienate gov't leaders/officials is real. As you say, there never was a golden age of journalism where this didn't happen.