- The
News About the News: American Journalism in Peril - by Leonard,
Jr Downie, Robert G. Kaiser ISBN: 0375408746
The Decline of Quality Journalism, March 8, 2002
Reviewer: Markg91359 from USA
Leonard Downie and Robert Kaiser have written a book that describes
what is wrong with American journalism. Those who have observed
the media during the last 15 to 20 years have noted disturbing
trends: 1. News that seems more like entertainment than real
news; 2. A decline in the quality and quantity of real hard news
stories in papers and t.v news.; 3. More stories about actors,
sports figures, and celebrities; 4. News that seems more like
a paid promotion by a corporation than news.
- The authors tell us why
this has occurred. Essentially, many newspapers, t.v. stations,
and radio stations have been taken over by huge corporations
like Gannett or AOL-Time Warner. These corporations are fixed
upon obtaining a certain bottomline profit margin from each station
year by year. To this end, they have limited space for hard news
stories, laid off thousands of reporters, increased entertainment
type features, and do little investigative reporting (which is
expensive). They have also raised advertising rates and in some
situations, involved themselves with inappropriate relationships
with businesses who advertise in their mediums.
- The authors point out
through a number of examples, exactly why good journalism is
important to a community. Solid news coverage on a state/national/international
level has helped inform the American people of complex realities,
enabling them to make sound decisions in the Representative Democracy
in which we live. It has helped cracked scandals like Watergate
wide open. It has helped states realize and rectify problems
in their educational and social systems. It has explained much
of the current problems with Muslims and Osama Bin Laden, so
that we can understand what occurred on September 11, 2001 better.
- The authors are wrong
about some things. I noted that both Downie and Kaiser started
in journalism in the sixties, before the advent of the computer
age. Perhaps, this is what makes them hostile to presentation
of news stories with fancy computer graphics, maps, and other
audio/visual effects. I don't see this as a problem. I think
an authoritative news cast could make use of both good reporting
and the technologies of the information age that allow us to
make better presentations and allow for more effective communication
with an audience.
- While I largely agree
with the authors, I also note this problem. The term "news"
and "newsworthy" is a very subjective term. Any two
people may experience serious disagreement about what is a legitimate
"news story" and what is not. For example, a president
having sex with his intern may or not may not be a news story.
Perhaps, the line is when you can show that his doing so is somehow
interfering with his official duties. By arguing that the media
needs to do a better job reporting news, and complaining about
particular types of reporting,the authors in essence conclude
that some matters are not "newsworthy". The authors
opinion on this maybe no better or worse than our own.
- What I found most discouraging
about the book is that the solutions are going to be very difficult.
Things have reached the point they have because of demands for
profitability by huge multi-national corporations. Its a very
involved process and will be difficult to rectify.
- In the end, the authors
simply make the point that if the American public wants good
journalism it has the power to demand it, by refusing to watch
or read poor journalism. That action will send the greatest message
of all to those who are in charge.
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