The failure to survive or the requirement to seriously downsize by the print media (newspapers and magazines) nationwide and here in Oregon hasn't helped.  The limited ownership here in Eugene of the television stations competing for the same advertising dollar hasn't helped locally, either.  National Radio and Television "news" programs earn their money by being more and more partisan.  "Investigations" are going be biased at best and non-existent at worst when their own audiences are the ones which should be 'investigated'.   Partisanship has always been involved in the print media.  The Albany  paper doesn't have the word "Democrat" in its name from historical accident.  The New Republic has been liberal and progressive  and even pro-Stalin in its early years.  One of the benefits of owning a newspaper is that there is no 'fair comment' requirement like television or radio.