The writer discusses how profit can be both a negative and a positive factor that influences the content of American media. Negative qualities include greed, compromised values. Positive values are also discussed and a balanced perspective is offered, as the topic is extensively reviewed. This nine page paper has six sources in the bibliography.
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for pension funds and insurance companies (Lee 6). Funds for research and development stimulate more sales for suppliers as well as savings for banks (6). On the other hand, profit
creates--as in the words of actor Michael Douglas in the film Wall Street--greed. In the film, the protagonist embraces the idea that greed is good and indeed, it can create
the impetus for wealth. At the same time, greed can also cause people to do unscrupulous things like lie, cheat, or steal. Greed can be detrimental and sometimes, profiteers are
responsible for the state. The quest for profit drives the American media industry. That sounds as if it is a bad thing, but again, the concept is actually quite controversial.
On one hand, the profit motive is an exemplification of capitalism and ensures that the government is not in control of media. After all, some people in other countries get
their news from a government controlled entity and do not really know whether or not what they are hearing is true. On the other hand, the motive for profit to
some extent diminishes the integrity of the media. Media is more likely to report on what the public likes to hear, and possibly ignore more pertinent issues. For example, prior
to 911, the media was obsessed with the disappearance of Chandra Levy, purportedly because the public wanted to see more about the situation. Once the buildings came crashing down, reporting
on Chandra also came to a crashing halt. Perhaps the biggest complaint about the American news media is that it is opportunistic and will prey unfairly on families that are
grieving, purely to increase ratings. Black sees the problem of American journalism as in fact, the profit motive (402). The author claims that every major newspaper, television network, and radio