It's such a shame that gore sells more than analysis, too, because what we need when deciding to enter a war above all else in analysis. We all know that people are suffering and dying in horrible ways, but we don't know how the US, Britain or France entering the fray will affect this. Will it make it better? Worse? Who will lead a "free" Syria? What will Putin do when we get involved? These are all questions that can't be answered by a picture of starving child who has been wounded, but that are no less important. I thought we had learned lessons from Iraq (although perhaps my parents' generation had thought that we learned lessons from Vietnam), lessons that taught us that media can't be a dog and pony show, lessons that when the media shouldn't repeat administration talking points verbatim. It's sad, but it's been 10 years since we've gotten into a war, so I suppose our time is about due.
I think part of the problem is that news media is for-profit instead of being a non-profit enterprise.