I agree that algorithms tune what you see, it's easier now to give people what they are predisposed to respond to. But back when everyone got their news from Walter Cronkite he had much more power to shape the narrative. Everyone was seeing the same thing, at the same time, and they didn't have easy access to a dozen other points of view from around the world.

You can still do that today, you can confine yourself to the CNN or the Breitbart view of the world, but that's not your only option. You have way more opportunity to be well informed now.