Is Local Media Key to Politician Accountability?

Norman Horowitz seems to think it is. Via HuffPo he asks "What Exactly Is Good For America?" and then delivers a great and quick read. Mr. Horowitz rightly blasts the leadership of our nation for their failed policies on globalism/trade, health care, etc. The comments are rather revealing to boot! With Norman Horowitz certainly qualified to judge the media, this portion of his writing is what really caught my attention.

And now on with my usual lament. Do you believe that the individual members of congress would allow any of this if it were covered by the local radio and television stations in their district? I think not.

I've been learning the average American still gets much of the news via local sources. I recall my students often citing things they'd learned via various regional based or main network TV stations plus their local papers.

I've long believed the average American is distracted, spoiled, poorly prepared to understand complexity, lazy, over entertained, shallow, ... yet to have this additional challenge toward changing these conditions troubles me even more. Much of the mainstream media is doing a dreadful job and local sources often do an even poorer job.

As I've been posting on a good bit here lately, a free and VIGOROUS press is critical for the flourishing (or even survival!) of democracy. Peace ... or War!