John Lloyd writes on why the idea of journalism holding power to account is becoming 'archaic'

John Lloyd has written an article for Reuters (12 June) about President Erdogan of Turkey: one of many state leaders who expresses the opinion that criticism from an unelected press should not be levelled at a leader elected with a large majority.

John writes, "Turkey leads and follows the trend: a disturbing one for journalism.  The combination of media corporations that need governments, and governments that no longer need the mainstream media, render the central, self-defined task of journalism - holding power to account - archaic.  If journalism is to retain, or recover, something of that mission, it must again make the case for its democratic necessity, for its responsibility as a necessary civic bulwark against authoritarianism and corruption."

The full article, which was also reproduced in the Japan Times (June 15), can be read here: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/12/lloyd-media-idUSL1N0YY24Z20150612

Mr John Lloyd is Senior Research Fellow at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism.