There’s been much ado about this brave new digital world. Newspapers, magazines, and books are fast becoming mere electrons flickering before our eyes on computer monitors, smart phones, and e-book readers. It’s an exciting time in human history—truly a revolution in how information is gathered, reported, and delivered. As with all change, this digital revolution is a bit scary and should give us all pause. I’ve written before about the dangers of “raw” information being delivered without professionals to vet, write, edit, format, and deliver it. The last election cycle and the first 10 months of President Obama’s administration serve as an excellent example of what happens when people get their news from blogs, infotainment shows (e.g., John Stewart and Steven Colbert), and left- (MSNBC) and right-wing (Fox News) commentators.

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