Some thoughts about journalism on a random Wednesday afternoon...

We've all seen people reference "the media" when discussing coverage, truth, lies, etc. It's a popular catch-all term used by people of all ideologies. There's one problem: "The media" doesn't exist.

There is no "the media." There are media outlets -- thousands of them consisting of tens of thousands of individuals. Some aim to be credible. Some possess stated bias. There's wide variance in quality and audience. Labeling them as if they are one group is shockingly inadequate.

So when we blame "the media" for our societal ills, it's a bit like blaming all people for the actions of a few...all hockey players when the Preds lose...all dogs when ours pees on the carpet. We have to be more specific.

This leads to my central piece of encouragement: Rather than blaming "the media" when we see coverage we perceive to be biased or inaccurate, let's learn to distinguish between good media and bad media...

...not by attacking reporters who cite facts with which we disagree, but by giving credence to journalists and outlets who pursue truth regardless of where it leads...and back up that truth with impartial evidence, not spin.

Because ultimately, we get "the media" we deserve. (end thread)