On election night in 2000, a handful of journalists -- friends, undercover, of course -- told me that, in their newsrooms, they saw "objective" reporters crying when it appeared that Bush won the election. And whether covering the war, taxes, global warming, spending on education, spending on social programs, health care, abortion -- those who report the news side with Democrats.

Now, what does this have to do with baseball?

Despite the tears and desk pounding, baseball over the years has seen record attendance, and the pace of ticket sales for the upcoming season predicts another all-time high. As for the traditional news, however, the major networks' share of viewership continues to decline, and newspapers shed employees while downsizing. More and more consumers of news find other outlets to stay informed.

There are many reasons for this, but a 2003 Gallup Poll found 45 percent of respondents believed the media too liberal. A 2007 Zogby poll discovered 83 percent of likely voters believe bias remains "alive and well" in the mainstream news media. Ninety-seven percent of Republicans and two-thirds of independents call the press too liberal.

In the case of baseball, the owners knew, the players knew, and the fans either knew or didn't want to know. But fans remain fans. As to traditional media, perhaps skeptical viewers see a "broken trust" -- and now take their business elsewhere.