In so much (cyberpunk?) media from the 70s, 80s, and 90s, the hero is a journalist.

Journalism, was seen as the ultimate tool against despots.

(Think Max Headroom: 20 Minutes into the Future, or Transmetropolitan, Makers (and many of the rest of Doctorow's books) or even Futureworld.)

And VCs + Facebook have effectively crippled modern journalism. Destroyed most local journalism. Rendered the pursuit of truth an optional side project for the left, and incompatible with the right.