"People shouldn't expect the mass media to do investigative stories. That job belongs to the 'fringe' media"

This quote by Ted Koppel recommends that the duty of investigative journalism need to not be put on the mass media. Instead, it needs to be delegated the "fringe" media, which is normally composed of smaller sized, independent outlets. Koppel is most likely describing the fact that the mass media is frequently owned by large corporations, which might have a program that could influence the stories they pick to report on. The "fringe" media, on the other hand, is most likely to be free from corporate influence and can therefore offer more impartial and investigative reporting. Koppel's quote is a tip that the mass media ought to not be trusted for investigative journalism, which it is essential to look for independent sources for news.