Journalism was once considered an honorable profession. And no doubt for some it still is. But for those whose occupation and preoccupation is to genuflect before power it has become a ticket to fame and fortune. In the U.S. most journalists work for large corporations who demand substantial profits to satisfy their stockholders. Nothing wrong with that except journalism is supposed to play a special role in society. It is there to check the abuses and expose the lies of the powerful. There is far too much reliance on official sources and too little investigative journalism.

Robert Fisk
Robert Fisk, based in Beirut, is the Middle East correspondent for "The Independent." He is the author of "Pity the Nation: The Abduction of Lebanon." He is winner of the Amnesty International UK Press Award and the Lannan Prize for Cultural Freedom. His latest book is "The Great War for Civilization"