The question is very relevant.
Bring Voltaire or John Lock back from the dead and they will write you an outstanding essay on the subject.
Which of these philosophers did not fight for independence and freedom?
Unfortunately, the media supposed to be the strength of democracy is sometimes trapped.
Where is the trap? The Power or illusion to control everything.
Actually, it is easy to understand. Let us check this argumentation: Media is communication. It is the lever of all action.
To control the media is to control the mass.
To control the mass is to win the elections.
To win elections is to have power.
To have the power is to need the media to stay there as long as possible.
In addition, the media sometimes or even often helps to hide the truth.
Can we trust the news? Can we trust the local media? Well!
I do not trust the news. And among my acquaintances there is no person who would 100% believe the news. With the advent of social media, the situation has become even more difficult. On the one hand, you can learn and analyze all the positions and opinions. But there are too many information. And too many fakes. The only way out is to use your own head and common sense.