"Unfortunately, it is the first -- the unholy marriage of entertainment with news that has had the greatest ill effect on civil discourse."

Two words: Rupert Murdoch. This Faux News scion is the antithesis of "left" and the epicenter of the unholy marriage you mention. and you think this is a result of those big bad lefties knocking over your bloodied, holier-than-thou conservatives, poor, poor victims that they are? And now they've risen, phoenix- like, against the forces of Rather and Jennings to be championed by this " fair and balanced" marriage of news, entertainment, and sets left over from the football pre-game shows? what a load of horseshit your post contains. the left hasn't held the presidency or signifigant power in the politics of america since LBJ. bill clinton was no "liberal" he was a moderate republican who had to run as a democrat because there's no such thing left in the republican party since they've moved to the right of mussolini. as such, "conservative" ( i hate the theft of that word by the reactionaries who now claim it) values have held sway in america since at least 1980 but the crybaby right still want to claim victimhood and milk it for all it's worth like an unrepentant welfare queen.

"the concept of fairness is as biased as the content."

you don't believe in the concept of fairness? i'm guessing you've not had a lasting relationship or raised kids, because one doesn't generally do well in such things without a concept of and commitment to fairness. i don't see why it can't be applied to civil discourse.