The press has not changed, the reporting in lights of those in power, the tainted vision of the way things are, have not adjusted since the time of the Yellow Journals of pre and post Civil War days. About the only thing that has changed is the medium, and notion that the guys on the TV News Shows were somehow more than entertainers, and above the Yellow Journalism of a Horace Greeley.
Harper’s Weekly stood, at one point, on the pen of a Pajama like editor and the pencil of a German Immigrant named TH Nast. The depth of the stories and the caricatures of the players were worthy of the Best of Limbaugh. Not only did the combination of Nast and Harpers take on and take down Tamney Hall, They were also credited (none seriously) with the elevation of Horace Greeley to serious Presidential consideration. It was Greeley himself who credited Nast with his rising political stature v. a second term of US Grant. Curious parallels to Limbaugh and Obama, (none seriously)? Maybe, but please note that Nast was an ardent fan and supporter of President US Grant.
But even President Lincoln learned to laugh first at himself, much to the major tabloids dismay, before laughing at others. Laughter is a serious subject to which the current administration has not devoted enough study despite the wealth of laughing stock material it has provided.
Nast and Limbaugh are a comparison awaiting scholarly study. Both are the masters of and in many ways the founders of their medium. Both use humor to portray analogously the foibles of the powerful and those who would pull the wool over peoples eyes with puffery and bribes. Both have many imitators on many sides, but few can match the honest portrayal of current political vice as well as they. Most that try are crude and become either boorish and mean, or are weak imitations.
The issues of old media v new media are not news. The lack of money in media, for news is. People pay to listen to Limbaugh, and paid for a look at Nast’s works. I donate to help ensure the work of some folks will not be interrupted. Who in the hell would subscribe to hear Brokaw about anything. I would rather listen to corn grow, and I believe I would learn more.
