When internal editorial debate disappears, journalism risks becoming driven by assumptions and one-sided narratives. Through examples of political debates and opinion columns, this section explores structural decline within mainstream media and its consequences.

A newspaper that carries such a column can only be described as being worse than a graffiti board.
2018-01-15.
The following continues from the previous chapter.
Takayama.
Even before the announcement of the recent election, there was a party leaders’ debate at the Japan National Press Club.
Yuzuru Tsuboi, an editorial writer from Asahi, appeared and asked about the “Moritomo and Kake issues.”
When Abe pointed out that Asahi had not reported the remarks of former Ehime Governor Moriyuki Kato regarding the Kake issue, Tsuboi became flustered and responded frantically.
If there had been genuine internal editorial debate within the company, such clumsy assumptions would never have become articles, and such an embarrassing display would not have occurred.
Yet without any reflection, Tsuboi even wrote a rebuttal column titled “Can the Prime Minister truly hold his head high?” dated October 20.
A newspaper that published such a column can only be described as being worse than a graffiti board.
If you put a suit on a deteriorated MSM, it might look like Tsuboi (laughter).