This article, as with many like it, ignores the fact that trust in "traditional media" is at an all time low globally. That's not because people enjoy fake news on social media, it's because traditional media has failed them. There are many studies that look at bias in traditional media. But journalists within that system completely ignore that aspect (it's harder to deal with), and simply assume they just need to embrace videos or new formats.
Traditional media is running their own LLM before LLM even existed. They absorbed their own bubble of information and hallucinate their narrative. I don’t mean it in a bad way. That’s how our tribal brain works, come up with stories with limited exposure to the world.
We can't have a discussion about "traditional media" until we talk about the perverse incentives of advertising.
Right now all media is focused on driving eyes to ads and data harvesting and that is it. There is no "defense of democracy" or any other high minded fantasy morals at play here.
It's a business like any other, only it's been granted vast protections from the repercussions of its actions.
The confusion of democracy with populism seems to be a trend over the past decade. Popularity is not democracy. In fact it’s often best if everyone is a little bit unhappy with whatever concession they are making.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Mockingbird
But honestly, the answer is no. Traditional Media is biassed opinion wrapped up as fact.
Right now all media is focused on driving eyes to ads and data harvesting and that is it. There is no "defense of democracy" or any other high minded fantasy morals at play here.
It's a business like any other, only it's been granted vast protections from the repercussions of its actions.
[0]: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betteridge%27s_law_of_headline...>