Ed.

I agree that the genesis of objective journalism dates back to the post WWI era when clearly biased journalism started to compete with more objective newspapers and radio stations (often owned by newspaper establishments). More nimble and less-biased journalist quickly squeezed slanted publishers like William Randolph Hearst. Ironically, it was the Ochs-owned New York Times which emerged as the winner as readers gravitated toward more open, more objective journalism. To wit:

“In 1932, a former New York Times reporter writing for Vanity Fair had left open the question as to whether journalism in the years to come would follow the Ochs style of professed objectivity or the Hearst style of outspoken advocacy. By the end of the decade, the question had been decisively answered. While the New York Times had grown steadily in circulation and revenues, the Hearst morning papers had not. Hearst, unlike his colleagues in publishing, had not learned that in mass circulation journalism it was best to disguise one’s political opinions.

David Nasaw
“The Chief. The Life of William Randolph Hearst”

The downfall of modern journalism can be traced to Watergate. Once journalist saw they could not only report news but influence outcomes (in effect be part of the story) that set the stage for a whole generation of journalist who were out to mold the world in their image rather than report the news. This is not a defense of what Richard Nixon did or did not do but rather what journalism has or has not become.