Democracy Wire

So-called "fake" news isn't the only issue people should be concerned about with respect to the media. Even real news has an "infotainment" quality that lends itself to a herd mentality and the corporate mergers that consolidate decision-making in distant corporate HQ that care more about profit and dividends than covering city hall or the school board.

Robert Reich offers advice on engaging political conversations with people we disagree with because democracy depends on it.

Democracy Download is an every-other-weekly round-up of democracy-related events from across the ideological spectrum. These events are based in Washington, D.C., but many can be seen on C-Span or live-streamed on Facebook Live or other online venues. Check links for more information.

Americans rely on a free, diverse, and independent media for the information they need to make informed decisions at election time. But every week brings more bad news for those of us who worry that our communications ecosystem is being pushed to the point of collapse. It’s not that we ever had a perfect communications world—far from it—but what we had at least provided a foundation upon which the diverse voices of democracy could contend and build.

Americans understand why the First Amendment contains both our free speech and a free press as fundamental to our democracy. We must have information we can rely on to make informed decisions and cast informed ballots to determine the future for our family and community.

Jon Sinton is a media entrepreneur working in radio, television, and online industries. He serves on the advisory board for Common Cause Georgia. Photo Credit: Lorraine Mirabella/The Baltimore Sun