A Bad Week For Journalism

I usually don't post political stuff here, but I do want to express my sorrow about the demise of Knight Ridder - a great outpost of true journalism.

The company, which has won 85 Pulitzer Prizes, will officially cease to exist on Tuesday afternoon. Its sale was forced by rebellious stockholders who had demanded more value for their shares.

In a time where too large parts of the english language media worship the "fair and balanced" bullshit - mistaking reporting opinion and counter opinion for journalism - knight ridders employees still strived for "the best obtainable version of the truth". I hope the new owners will continue the good work, but the circumstances of the sale and the overall atmosphere in America* make me sceptical.

*: Just take the misguided attacks on the New York Times - the right wing media publicly states that its editor should be tried for treason and that the gas chamber is a fair punishment for the couragous reporting about clandestine programs of questionable legality.