Who Will Help Us

I saw “Spotlight”, the movie about how the Boston Globe revealed the extent of poedophilia among the priests in the archdiocese of Boston, and eventually the rest of the known world. As a newspaper drama, it’s right up there with “All The President’s Men.” My companion called the movie “All The Pope’s Men.” Both movies illustrate how it takes one basically uncorrupted institution to bring to account a corrupt institution, whether it’s the Roman Catholic Church or the Presidency. And I was disturbed as I left the theater. With what is happening to our newspapers, will any survive and be strong enough to do battle against the forces of evil? Yes, I draw the newspaper as a flawed superhero in the galactic world of right vs wrong. Then, probing deeper, is the story in Boston and elsewhere about institution vs institution or truth vs lies? Was it good journalism that brought down the church? Can good journalism do battle without the protection of the newspaper institution? Is there a website out there that could do what the Boston Globe did? Politico and the Huffington Post are quoted often. Do they have the brio to defeat a corrupt institution? This is similar to the argument over the printed book or a Kindle. If you want the story, a Kindle is fine. If you want the object, then only a printed book will do. Can journalism alone keep us safe in the wilderness, or do we need the protection of the fort provided by the fourth estate? As usual, I have more questions than answers.
Dec. 2, 2015