Jefferson's explanation of their purpose means the present day media is the deep state's standing army. They are the deep state's false propaganda machine - the ordures of our time. I rest my case
When did the mainstream media turn into a false propaganda machine? Several days ago, someone asked that question and all I could think to say was, they've been fake news as far back as I can remember. The media's coverage of the Kennedy assassination exposed the fact that they were not being forthright with the American people. They promoted and protected the official lone gunman story by denigrating anyone who asked questions, besmirching anyone who presented conflicting evidence and by ignoring anyone who presented a conflicting account. In fact, the first time I heard the media refer to anyone as a conspiracy theorist was during the media's coverage of the Kennedy assassination.