With their business models crashing along with their self-respect and integrity, it comes as no surprise that a new study finds that American journalists are a bunch of “miserable, liberal, over-educated, under-paid, middle-aged men.”

The study shows that the attitudes of journalists have dramatically changed over the last 50 years. My guess is that this is mainly due to the end of the era of the hard-charging Woodward and Bernsteins seeking truth and holding power accountable. All the fun of righteous crusades have ended.

Today, journalists are required to serve power, protect the State, and never-ever go against the left-wing grain. The results are to be expected. Compared to 1971 (the Watergate era), when 49% of journalists said they were “very satisfied” with their job, only 23% can say the same today.

Apparently, journalists at least have the decency to not feel good about protecting power, the State and its Democrat enablers like Obama.

A full 59% of journalists see their profession as going in the “wrong direction.” And that probably doesn’t mean that journalists think the wagon circling to protect Obama should be going clockwise instead of counter-clockwise.

Journalists are getting older, too. The median age today is 47, compared with 37 in 1971.

Journalists are also more liberal. In 1971, 26% identified as Republican. Now only 7% do.

I’ll give journalists this much: They have earned their misery. They did build that.

Follow John Nolte on Twitter @NolteNC