This isn't just about News Corp (but they still suck)

I read an interesting article last night about expansion of domestic surveillance. Maybe later I will give some opinions on it, but right now something else is bothering me more.

I don't know how this story was covered nationwide, but in my local paper it was buried in the middle of the national section, 2 pages after the coverage of Elvis' 30th deathday party and 3 pages after the Michael Jackson custody article.

I would love to blame the editor, or the newspaper owner, but unfortunately I think this is a sad reflection on our society. There probably are more people who want to read about Lindsay Lohan's latest escapade or the results of this week's America's Fattest Fatties than there are people who care about the erosion of our civil liberties.

Of course, I don't absolve the media entirely. How are average people supposed to learn about current events that might actually affect their lives if no one reports them - or if they bury the stories under 20 pages of gossip and fluff? It was a fluke that I found the story myself, and I go out of my way to keep current with all the blogs and sites catering to progressive whack-jobs like me.

I can't fault the average American for not being outraged about policy decisions that get no media coverage. I blame the growing corporatization of our media, which has resulted in a handful of pasty white Republicans controlling the vast majority of national news outlets.

It's hard to defend yourself against a threat when you're not even aware it exists. And I think that's just the way they want it.