That is happening. Note well, I emphasize the last word, fray. A fray implies at least two viewpoints being expressed vigorously.Yet the defining characteristic of the "mainstream media" is that it is a self-selecting Estatblishment - a group which wields influence but which denies its own existence as an entity. This Establishment defines itself as "objective journalism"; anyone who attacks the objectivity of a member of this Establishment (e.g., Bernard Goldberg) calls down the wrath of the whole Establishment on his head. And the punishment they mete out is exclusion from their club of "objective journalists."
This self-defining Establishment exhibits ideological coherence, as any conservative has by now noticed. But as the Post here proposes, "the public interest is for more newsrooms to be set up," and this is being done. But if "more newsrooms" meant more Establishment newsrooms, the result would not be a "fray."
We are seeing a "fray" between old members of the "objective journalism" Establishment and "more" newsrooms which are outside of the "objective journalism" consensus. That is, the fray is joined against the MSM by talk radio and the blogosphere. The former is leftist but claims to be objective - whereas the latter is, openly, conservative. The former is wise in its own conceit, or in the Greek-derived term, sophist. The latter takes the stance not of claiming wisdom but of being interested facts and logic and aspiring to wisdom. The Greek-derived term for that position is philosophical.
After Eason Jordan
New York Sun | February 14, 2005 | Editorial
The "objective journalism" Establishment is leftist but claims simultaneously to not exist at all, and to be objective. The fray against that Establishment is joined by new "newsroom." The latter can exist independent of, and critical of, the "objective journalism" Establishment only as these "newsrooms" reject the flattery and derision of the "objective journalism" Establishment. To be critical of the "old newsrooms" of the Establishment, which is leftist, the "new newsrooms" must be, and are, conservative. And they must, and do, reject any claim of objectivity.The Establishment's claim of objectivity is in its essence a claim of wisdom. But whoso is wise in his own conceit rejects the principle that there is always more which can be learned - and thus excuses himself from the hard work of analyzing new facts and different logical perspectives. Such a person engages in sophistry, which is merely an ironic use of the Greek term for "wisdom."
The "new newsrooms" take the stance not of claiming wisdom but of being interested in facts and logic and aspiring to wisdom. They are, in the Greek-derived term, philosophical. By comparison the Establishment is is lazy and, being so, expends more energy defending a reactionary posture than it actually takes to be philosophical. Avoiding work is work.