Is the press elitist?

[fresh22]

I just think the press sort of prides itself too much for being the 'insiders' of Washington or any political scale to a point of pure arrogance.

They state their purpose is to do quality journalism that gives the public insight and information, but I just feel too often that they seem to be in cahoots with the politicians and bureaucrats they report on. Are they just as elitist as the ones who serve us in public office?

I mean they are all pretty much college educated as well, which kinda gives a narrower viewpoint if they don't realize it themselves.

I don't see why they are called 'experts.' Frankly I roll my eyes everytime they have those roundtable discussions on shows like 'Meet the Press,' etc.

There should be a better way of getting information than getting it through gatekeeper elites like the press.

[AliBabaIncorporated]

I think the main problem is that the press are mainly urban, so they concentrate on getting to know the issues and the people in urban settings. Politicians tend to have more power in urban areas rather than suburban areas ...

One think I dislike about reporting is how the press in the US can support urban, cosmopolitan values against rural, traditionalist values when it comes to American issues, but when reporting on the third world, they always take the side of the rural traditionalists (usually to complain about government oppression of one kind or another). So I understand how the press can be seen as elitist.

[Chad]

The major press outlets are elitist, like you said the ones you see on television. Some local press here are pretty good and others are really awful. Dallas has (The Dallas Observer (http://www.dallasobserver.com/) which is OK sometimes and it seems to be sitting on stands everywhere you go in the city. They regularly attacked corruption in the city government and police dept.

[Broomer]

Can't say for the states but in Oz it definitely seems so.
The grapevine sings that unless you suck up to the right people and you're of the right "type" - good luck in getting into the media.

The only difference I can see is in SBS and ABC.
Printed press is about the worst and I'm not even going to go into radio.

The fct that different ethnic groups feels the need for their own radio programs and channels pretty much sums up that situation.

Broomer