It's already happening.

All of cable TV sucks now. You wanna see good documentaries? PBS is awesome.

More importantly, I think we're seeing the legitimizing of grassroots journalism. YouTubers like Vsauce, TED talks, and relatively independent magazines/journals fulfill the "in-depth/well-researched reporting" niche, while reddit live threads and twitter (though clumsy) may serve as an insight into the next generation of instantaneous mass media. Obviously, change is slow, and Fox, CNN, MSNBC, and co. will continue to dominate for at least another decade or two.

I agree for the most part. It'll be interesting to see what mechanisms will be put in place to encourage thoughtful, accurate, and productive material. Naturally, I think the open and accessible dialogue and the participation of people active in their fields is a huge plus.

at least National Geographic was one of the last big names that fell to big money.

If somehow PBS falls into the hands of Rupert Murdoch, I'll have an existential crisis on my hands.