Holding a broadcast license doesn’t give anyone better insight in to the truth then anyone else.

Today there are plenty of involved citizens who regularly attend school board and city council meetings and then post to social media, websites and email blasts. The power has shifted from corporate media gatekeepers back to the people. So now the best the declining legacy media can do is to denigrate their competition, the citizens who post differing opinions?

I am sure when newspapers and radio replaced the town crier many thought it was the end of “truth” as well. No, it was the end of the information gatekeeper’s monopoly.

TV news won’t be fixed by a government bailout that inevitably would turn local TV news in to NPR. It will be fixed (if at all) when licensees start to respect those who have differing opinions and give their opinions fair airtime. Sadly, even that won’t be enough. Technology has created a sea change. The golden age of local TV news is in the rear view mirror. If they really want to try to fix it, start with a little humility and respect for the other guy’s differing opinion.