Media in crisis

Stanislav Gross and Lubomír Zaorálek are blaming the media for the political crisis. Gross wrote in Právo that objectivity takes a back seat in Czech journalism to the tastes of readers and interests of advertisers. It's not clear to what extent journalists realize whose interests they're serving, he said. Zaorálek continued in this vein on the BBC, saying the media are in crisis because they're trying to become players in the political process. Gross and Zaorálek aren't totally wrong. The media have reported the crisis well, but they haven't enjoyed the authority to achieve their aim of forcing Gross to resign. By whimsically calling in the past for various politicians to quit, and by tolerating the behavior of others, they've helped create a disenchanted electorate that isn't surprised by anything. The media have cried wolf - and played with the wolves - a few too many times. [Czech Republic journalism]