Journalism has become the logical place to go when you leave modeling school. Journalism is non-functional, and will continue to drift into being "entertainment" until a new kind of journalism happens. The next great news-network WILL be developed, somewhere, and it will include some or all of 4 repairs discussed in this humble diary.
Remove the star-system in journalism. Television journalists should no longer be allowed to become pop stars. The news is important, the news-readers are not. The easiest way to do this is to stop mentioning the reporters names. No longer "this is Joe smith reporting", rather "this is xyz news reporting".
Analysis of news items is now more important than the facts. Let's separate analysis from the reporting of the news. Right now, a report about legislation might contain statements such as "the congress is attempting to position itself during this election year". A newspaper might place this on a different page, or different article, television should separate news analysis from news reporting...or better yet, stop analysis alltogether.
Return journalism to the quest for truthful facts. Save the anger for WWE. I'm not gonna talk about why people like to see confrontation.
Entertainment news, belongs on entertainment news programs. Confrontation belongs on soap operas. News should be cold and detached, and force the consumer to think about what they are seeing and hearing. And for God's sake, stop filling newscasts with commercially advantagous "reporting" of things that simply advertise the programs and services of the network. If my local affiliate does one more "news story" about some new entertainment program on their channel I will scream.