I think that could explain why David Petraeus is a valued commentator after the sort of espionage that sends people to jail.
I don't think it explains why journalists quote serially-lying IC agency dirs verbatim, as if they were a trustworthy source. I don't think that's corporate micromanaging. I think it's industry incompetence.
It's as if they're unable to suss out the core duty implied by their extra 1A protections - to hold the powerful accountable.
It's no better at the local level. Reporters consistently parrot LEO spokesbot claims without even doing a 15 second Google search that would disprove cop nonsense. I don't think the local desk is being strongarmed by overlords. I think they're being inept.
That said, in the case of Sinclair media - you'd be right. That local news is directly shaped thru corporate overlording. But there, corporate is dictating the story and providing the reporter scripting. That's a different animal than what I'm referring to.
This is just one example of many (I've seen others in John Oliver's Last Week Tonight):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnIQalprvR8
In 1983, 90% of US media was controlled by fifty companies; today, 90% is controlled by just 5 companies.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_cross-ownership_in_the_U...
Voters don't care because news orgs don't care (in a meaningful way). Lobbyists writing law isn't as sexy to editors as sportsball, celebs or missing pretty white girls.