The essay notes that the evening news brings together more Frenchmen than any newspaper can. It is a wonderfully disturbing thought that a massive amount of people tune into the exact same thing at the same time. It showcases the powerful medium that television is. One of the number of issues associated with this daily phenomena is that one perspective is being peddled to consumers. I refer to television audiences as consumers, because that is what people do when they sit in front of the tube, consume what is being presented to them.
In order for people to continue spending their time watching the evening news, the journalists presenting are given material that the network decides is worthy to talk about. This causes a number of stories to be ignored in favor of those that are produce higher ratings. This puts a journalist in a difficult position that is messy and potentially morally challenging. What makes a great journalist? Barbara Walters is an icon in the news media. So are the boys over on Comedy Central, John Stewart and Stephen Colbert. The writers strike proved how unfunny John is without them, but he's still one great 'fake' real journalist. These three figures are a brand in themselves. Honestly I cannot name anyone from France who reports on the news. Is a true journalist a person who can create an identity that does not necessarily depend on the network that they work for?
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