While History Never Repeats Itself, Political Patterns

To Become Informed And Hold Government Accountable, The General Public Needs To Obtain News That Is Comprehensive Yet Interesting And Understandable, That Conveys Facts And Outcomes, Not Cosmetic Images And Airy Promises. But That Is Not What The Public Demands.

Half The U.s. Population Owns Barely 2 Percent Of Its Wealth, Putting The United States Near Rwanda And Uganda And Below Such Nations As Pre-arab Spring Tunisia And Egypt When Measured By Degrees Of Income Inequality.

America's Great Newspapers Have Staffs That Range From 50 Percent To 70 Percent Of What They Were Just A Few Years Ago.

But Particularly When The Media Profess To Strive Toward Objectivity, Gatekeepers Play A Crucial Role In Helping People Navigate The News To Make Educated Political Decisions.

Three Centuries After The Appearance Of Franklin's 'courant,' It No Longer Requires A Dystopic Imagination To Wonder Who Will Have The Dubious Distinction Of Publishing America's Last Genuine Newspaper. Few Believe That Newspapers In Their Current Printed Form Will Survive.