We have to stop thinking about news media as being the fourth estate and realize that it is a business. Their business is reliant on the status quo, in not rocking the boat. With advertisers like weapon manufacturers: Raytheon, Northrop Grumman: oil companies Exxon, etc and big pharma. They have a clear profit motive to not do journalism and to run whitewashing propaganda campaigns as their business model.
Some news orgs lie outright and others through omission. Either way they have a clear bias and an interest in guiding a narrative.
Its not about being cowardly or timid. Its about profit. The serve the same monied interests that buy our politician’s.