First the greedy bankers came. Then the corrupt Wall Street swindlers came. Then the failing, incompetent car companies came. Now the slanted-left, miserable newspapers are coming for a slice of the taxpayer pie....
By Robert MacMillan - Analysis
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Connecticut lawmaker Frank Nicastro sees saving the local newspaper as his duty. But others think he and his colleagues are setting a worrisome precedent for government involvement in the U.S. press.
Nicastro and fellow legislators want the papers to survive, and petitioned the state government to do something about it. "The media is a vitally important part of America," he said, particularly local papers that cover news ignored by big papers and television and radio stations.
Nicastro is right that the media is vitally important but, he seems clueless as to why. A media that is free from government meddling is free to criticize and question the politicians, and in doing so, inform the public without the suspicion of government influence. A government bailout of ANY newspaper automatically brings into question loyalties. Wouldn't the paper give favorable coverage to whatever politician voted for it's bailout money? And wouldn't it criticize any politician who didn't?
No, above all else, NO newspaper should be given government money to prop itself up.
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