The Power of the Press Archives
The Power of the Press
We are witnessing the last growl of the unbridled power of the press. Some in the press would like to think -- but would not be stupid enough to brag -- that they could "destroy people" for a living. And though they certainly can cause headaches for people in the spotlight, the odds of fatality go down by the day as there are more and more means of response. Now the targets can turn the tables on the journalists. I’ve seen reporters go ballistic when their emails to sources or transcripts of their interviews are published on blogs. Well, tough. What’s good for the goose is now grist for the gander.
At the same time, journalists are not the great gatekeepers they once were. Flacks are. In the old days, reporters had access to the press and that gave them power no subject could match. But when celebrities discovered the value of their faces to market media, they gained the upper hand. Now, you won’t hear a reporter or columnist threatening to ruin a star. Instead, you’ll hear the star’s publicist threatening to cut off a magazine or show if they don’t obey demands to grant a cover, approve a photo, or select a reporter.
"The last gasp of the power of the press," by Jeff Jarvis, BuzzMachine, April 8, 2006
April 9, 2006 07:37 AM Fourth Estate
