What has happened to today's chicken compared to the chicken in the 1950's - 80's? In the 1960's, 70's and up until now, my dear parents prepared their chicken the same way as have I.  We bought it, washed it, cut it up, cooked it and served to family and friends who never got sick eating it.  True we washed our hands and the areas we used because we were clean but not like I see how many are scared especially about getting deathly ill.  

My own younger family members use gloves and pans that they throw out after the chicken touches...but they don't wash the chicken first from the packaging, afraid of chicken contamination on their sink.  They tell me when they cook, bar-b-que, or bake, then the chicken germs die.  

What has happened to the chicken today that these younger people are afraid of the chicken?  Funny thing is they love eating fried chicken or chicken kebab when I cook it or when I prep it at my house or theirs.  Also, we never used special cleaners to clean up, especially my parents (who were alive and cooking 2 years ago and 4 months ago both gone now) and they even used the same wooden board to cut everything with.  I have always used big plates to cut my bread, raw meats and veges up but not my parents. 

I do hear about people getting sick, so what has happened or changed with today's chicken?
I don't think much has happened to washing a chicken in itself, rather much more has happened to our knowledge about bacteria, hygiene, and cross contamination. 

Most likely, with or without washing, nothing bad is going to happen. But then again: It might. 
Properly cooking the poultry is going to get rid of the bacteria on the chicken, no washing needed. With washing, bacteria present on the chicken might spread to other parts of the kitchen and ingredients, and some of that might be consumed raw, or not cooked through &amp; through, increasing the risk of contamination.

Personally, I'm not overly worried about getting infected, and I never have been, but I might, you might, and you wouldn't want guests to be. It's risk reduction, rather than anything else.