For economic and political reasons arising from purely historical American developments, the professional model of journalism dominated the American media scene. The professional perspective on American media work draws on the notion of the communicator as a gatekeeper, operating with professional and organizational contexts. Subsequent studies have indicated that the journalist's self-perception as the person who decides what people need to know is deeply ingrained. Another perspective of the professional communicator derives from organizational research. He also points out that the division of labor within news organizations reflects some sort of bureaucratic politics where editors and reporters are perceived not as monolithic, but as holding conflicting views on news.
American media draw on a range of professional axioms to guide their operations.
One of them is the concept of objectivity which denotes reporters' detachment from the information they report. The concept has come under fire because it suggests a preclusion of responsibility and nurtures reactive attitudes on the part of media workers. Priority is given to sources' statements to the exclusion of reporters' insights and firsthand observations. American media have also been criticized for playing up sensational and entertainment-oriented content at the expense of serious political and cultural issues and social problems. As gatekeepers strive to cope with successive deadlines, they have been criticized for compromising news thoroughness and accuracy.