Dissecting the headline of Nov. 10, "Fear is causing the media to obscure its purpose," just what is the media? A couple of centuries ago, the press was recognized as the fourth estate, meaning it had the most clout after the medieval pecking order of clergy, nobility and commoners. Then, along came radio, TV and internet -- all becoming "the media."

Uncovering more: So, what is the media's purpose? Depends. Is the media's objective to inform or to influence, to serve or to silence, to mitigate or to mock, to lay bare or to cover up? Here's a clue, when asked about trust in the media, 69% of people said they have none or very little, according to Gallup.

So, why is the powerful media so fearful? That's easy. The Gannett company owns more than 100 daily newspapers, including the Canton Repository and the Akron Beacon Journal. Billionaires and large corporations own many media outlets as a side investment, e.g., Jeff Bezos and Disney, proving the old saying: "He who pays the piper calls the tune." It's all a business: advertisers, subscribers and personal political preferences.

As for obscurity (in the headline): If writers and editors are mostly driven by money, are more influencers than reporters, admit it. Obscuring the news is deceitful. However, according to a Fox internet posting dated 2022, media owners are attempting to go more middle of the road with their editorials, as it's good for business, which shows their values.

My own editorial: Lack of curiosity is abhorrent when it is the business' business to dig in. Picking and choosing, lying or omitting on purpose while hiding behind a mantel of integrity is eventually not good for anyone.