General Discussion

Mainly, the press is cowed.
1) fear of losing insider sources and/or contacts.
2) fear of retribution - pissing off the powerful! OMG!

It’s all about access. (Oh, that almighty precious ACCESS!!!) No more invitations to BIG events with big names and all the big parties where your ego is fed the finest “cuisine” of rubbing elbows (AND being SEEN rubbing elbows) with the rich and powerful players of every stripe. That makes YOU look like a player.

I remember listening to an outtakes reel of a media elder who actually went on the air drunk. He was barely able to read his script, and the burbles and fumfers flew like big flocks of geese headed south for the winter. UNBELIEVABLE! But by Jove they kept him on staff, AND on the air (radio), because his sources were so good.

What a revelation THAT was! I was on the air myself, at the time. I can still remember marveling at what you could get away with if you “knew all the right people”.