Media outlets are finding they’re in an unusual spot these days. In addition to reporting the news, they have become the news. Broadcasters such as CNN as well as the nation’s top newspapers are increasingly the subject of heavy media criticism. And the intense scrutiny isn’t coming just from their own watchdogs, but the White House, celebrities, politicians, and viewers are also hypervigilant to perceived transgressions. 

Despite all the other sources for news, television still dominates as the most influential. Research shows it’s the primary way most people get their news. For example, on election night last November, 88% of voters tracked the returns of the US presidential race on television, according to the Pew Research Center.