Middle ground? You seem to refer to the media as an extension of government, though due to the way the mass media has been used by the government to manipulate citizens, they can also be referred to as an accomplice. But then in an ideal situation, mass media are referred to as the fourth arm of government due to their ability to serve as watch dog.
That's exactly why I referred to them as an extension of the government, because ideally they're supposed to be the watchdog and not a political tool. Thanks for stopping by