Why We Need Independent Media

I recently read in the Huffington Post a Democracy NOW! interview by Amy Goodman with David Barstow the New York Times reporter who won a Pulitzer Prize for Exposing Military’s Pro-War Propaganda Media Campaign during the Iraq War.
This story brings home the value of independent investigative media reporting. If anyone ever doubted that we need this to remain a nation of free thinkers who can make decisions based upon impartial research and reporting, this article should set the record straight.
Having the military provide military personnel of a pre-determined persuasion to serve as experts and commentators for TV news programs is ludicrous unless the TV news programs do not provide independent news coverage.

Here is an excerpt of the interview:
In his first national broadcast interview, New York Times reporter David Barstow speaks about his 2009 Pulitzer Prize-winning expose of the Pentagon propaganda campaign to recruit more than seventy-five retired military officers to appear on TV outlets as military analysts ahead of and during the Iraq war.
AMY GOODMAN: I think what's so interesting about this story is not only what the Pentagon has done; it's the lack of reporting on this by the networks. Of course, you know, that is your subject here, how the networks use them. How many times have you been invited on the networks--you just won the Pulitzer Prize for this investigation--to explain this story of the networks' use of these pundits?
DAVID BARSTOW: You know, to be honest with you, I haven't received many invitations--in fact, any invitations--to appear on any of the main network or cable programs. I can't say I'm hugely shocked by that.
For complete story check out Democracy Now!

I shudder to think about where this country would be without programs like Democracy Now! In this case it seems to me that all TV stations would be the same in terms of the integrity of coverage. That's scary!!!