Response to the following question:
How did Watergate contribute to journalistic boldness?
How did the Watergate scandal contribute to the growing boldness of journalists? In a sense, Watergate destroyed the public trust in government. Prior to this event great respect was shown for members of the government. Consider how reporters never talked about F.D.R's paralysis and television reports refused to show him in his wheelchair. It's also interesting to realize that none of the Washington press ever reported on JFK's affairs during his time in office. When Watergate occurred the press pushed beyond boundaries that in the past had been adhered to. The boundaries that the press had observed were now no longer valid and it seems that no new mutually agreed upon boundaries were established in their place. We have progressed to the point where the press pursue a possible story based on the seriousness of the charge rather than the reliability of the facts.