Dear Editor:

Somehow it seems right that we should mark Walter Cronkite’s birthday this past November 4. He was a product of his time and set the standard for objectivity in journalism. His career spanned from WW2 to beyond the Apollo landing. It was a time when it could be said that America was truly great. Not that we didn’t have our problems, but it was a time that we strove for fairness and equity that was reflected in the journalism of the day.

A significant contributing factor was the FCC’s strict rules that limited concentration of media ownership, emphasized localism, competition, and diversity of viewpoints. The big three networks maintained news reporting, not for profit, but for the prestige of being the best and most accurate.

Since then, media ownership laws have undergone significant deregulation, transitioning to an environment that has allowed for high levels of corporate consolidation. The most pivotal shift was the passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which fundamentally changed the regulatory landscape. It was marked by significant media consolidation, a reduction in the number of independent owners, fewer local news staff, and the pursuit of profit over integrity in reporting.

This is compounded with opinion masquerading as journalism exemplified by organizations such as Fox News conceived by Robert Ailes who wrote the basic business plan while working for Nixon, and whose purpose was to create a channel to promote a Republican point of view. Along with the creation of the Heritage Foundation in 1973, and the rise and coordination of other right wing think tanks, American’s trust in the media declined. What had been a largely moderate body politic, split into extreme camps where we cannot even agree on what is true or real.

My purpose in writing is to reconsider the consequences of the deregulation of media ownership and instill some sort of responsibility for truth in the media because what we have now is not working for our country. We won’t always all agree in our opinions, but we should all agree on what is the truth.

Fred W. Nehring

Boothbay