Quote Originally Posted by Featherock View Post
...I think the result of #2 has been jingoism, mainly.
I'm unsure what you mean by that. I do know that I have seen so little truly thoughtful analysis and comment on either Afghanistan or Iraq that I'm unsure how jingoism can develop other than as a dumb knee jerk reaction to sloppy reporting.
Frankly, I wouldn't mind seeing more of #1 if the theoretical media outlet and/or media personality was clearly anti-war, a thundering pacifist, or even an angry protectionist. That would be fun to watch.
The interesting thing is that there's plenty of #1 about due to ignorance of entirely too many of the writers and a bias that is not necessarily as a committed believer in much of anything, to include the three thoughts you posit.

Indeed, many don't seem to be believers in much of anything except in some cases by some journalists that it is their role to save the world from itself -- like the Preachers who believe the same thing, they really get short shrift from most of the great unwashed. I truly don't think most of the world savers in either vocation realize just how short...

Marketing in the US generally heads for the late teen-early 20 market because that's where the flaky binge spenders are. Due to market pressures as Oblong mentioned print journalism is aiming at the same market. Like him, I'm inclined to disagree with that approach. It would seem to me that anyone who wanted to improve the world would object strenuously to dumbing down anything, much less the news. There are exceptions that do not dumb down their output -- but there are not nearly enough of them.

Marc said:
"...Personally, I'd like to see more critical examinations as well, especially if there is a sharp distinction drawn between why it started and what's happening now."
Between why it started or why it was said it started? Two very, very different things, I think...