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Fighting for Air: The Battle to Control America's Media (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "Disasters have long shaped U.S. media policies, because crises throw into stark relief the status quo that, absent dramatic benchmarks, is otherwise so hard to..." (more)
Key Phrases: alt weeklies, big media companies, ownership caps, Clear Channel, New York, New Times (more...)

4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Eric Klinenberg has written an extraordinary and powerful account of the devastating elimination of localism in U.S. media and journalism, and how Americans from all walks of life are rising up to challenge the great media crisis that grips our nation today. Brilliantly written and tightly argued, Fighting for Air is the perfect book for anyone wanting to understand what is going on in this country, and why it is so important to our future."—Robert W. McChesney, author of The Problem of the Media

“Eric Klinenberg has given us a chilling report on how the American news media, increasingly concentrated, have made a mockery of the commitment to operate ‘in the public interest, convenience, and necessity.’ Admirably researched and lucidly written, Fighting for Air should serve as a wake-up call on the deafness of radio and television to communal needs.” —Daniel Schorr, Senior News Analyst for National Public Radio

“Big media conglomerates—in radio, TV and newspapers—have taken over local outlets all over America, silencing independent local voices. Eric Klinenberg has done a masterful job of researching what has happened to America's local news media. Fighting for Air is a must-read for anyone who cares about the role of the media in a democracy.”—George Lakoff, author of Don't Think of an Elephant!

“Fighting for Air is a richly detailed, compelling, and timely investigation into the problem of the U.S. media and what people are doing to take it back. Klinenberg pulls back the curtain on complex media policy issues, with stories of real people, how they have been harmed by Big Media, and follows up with inspiring tales of underdogs who are fighting back and winning. This book is a call to action to fight for a strong, vigorous, independent media.”—Amy Goodman, host and executive producer of Democracy Now!

Product Description

A groundbreaking investigative work by a critically acclaimed sociologist on the corporate takeover of local news and what it means for all Americans

For the residents of Minot, North Dakota, Clear Channel Communications is synonymous with disaster. Early in the morning of January 18, 2002, a train derailment sent a cloud of poisonous gas drifting toward the small town. Minot’s fire and rescue departments attempted to reach Clear Channel, which owned and operated all six local commercial radio stations, to warn residents of the approaching threat. But in the age of canned programming and virtual DJs, there was no one in the conglomerate’s studio to take the call. The people of Minot were taken unawares. The result: one death and more than a thousand injuries.

Opening with the story of the Minot tragedy, Eric Klinenberg’s Fighting for Air takes us into the world of preprogrammed radio shows, empty television news stations, and copycat newspapers to show how corporate ownership and control of local media has remade American political and cultural life. Klinenberg argues that the demise of truly local media stems from the federal government’s malign neglect, as the agencies charged with ensuring diversity and open competition have ceded control to the very conglomerates that consistently undermine these values and goals.

Such “big media” may not be here to stay, however. Fighting for Air delivers a call to action, revealing a rising generation of new media activists and citizen journalists—a coalition of liberals and conservatives—who are demanding and even creating the local coverage they need and deserve.

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Product Details

Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Metropolitan Books (January 9, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0805078193
ISBN-13: 978-0805078190
Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.3 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #529,811 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
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#14 in Books > Nonfiction > Social Sciences > Communication > Broadcasting
#83 in Books > Nonfiction > Social Sciences > Communication > Media And Society

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Inside This Book (learn more)

First Sentence:
Disasters have long shaped U.S. media policies, because crises throw into stark relief the status quo that, absent dramatic benchmarks, is otherwise so hard to apprehend. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
alt weeklies, big media companies, ownership caps, voice tracking, local journalism, media consolidation, cultural coverage, ownership limits, video news releases, media reform, local news coverage

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Clear Channel, New York, New Times, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Radio Mutiny, United States, Village Voice, Pete Tridish, Knight Ridder, Telecom Act, New Orleans, Bay Area, Tribune Company, African American, Bay Guardian, South Dakota, Time Warner, Consumers Union, Michael Powell, North Lawndale, West Philadelphia, Chicago Tribune, Jonathan Adelstein, Media Access Project

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4.2 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews)

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19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Figthing for Air is essential reading for understanding media reform, January 16, 2007

By	Gregory Rose (Silver Spring, MD) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Dr. Klinenberg has provided a valuable service to Americans in his excellent historical and sociological study of media consolidation, its implications for access, content, and justice at both the national and local levels, and the growing movement to challenge consolidation. The work is a model of scholarship for a mass audience, meticulously documenting both the secondary literature and the extensive interviews Klinenberg has conducted with numerous industry and movement figures, while losing none of the immediacy of a compelling narrative and persuasive argument. Clearly and concisely Klinenberg marshals a compelling case.

My only criticism is that a more extensive discussion of the political economy of consolidation and its wider context in the US and international economies, and a more detailed critique of the failed libertarian economic paradigm which was used to sell consolidation to policymakers would be useful. But that would be asking for a much longer and more complicated book, and one which would probably not have done as admirable a job in explaining in simple and direct terms the complexities of consolidation and its dreadful consequences of American public life.

I recommend Fighting for Air as essential reading for anyone who wants to understand this vital area of public policy.

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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What to do about media consolidation should be the #1 issue in the 2008 election., February 27, 2007

By	Paul Tognetti "The real world is so much more... (Cranston, RI USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

The genie is out of the bottle. Over the past 15 years our radio and television stations, newspapers and magazines have been gobbled up by a handful of media conglomerates. Turn on the radio in just about any city in this nation and you will hear the same tired and unimaginative programming. Local content has largely been eliminated on a good many of these stations and the number of commercials has increased dramatically. In many of our largest cities media companies are allowed to operate up to 8 radio stations, 3 televisions stations, cable TV service and even the local newspaper. It is an alarming state of affairs to say the least! In his new book "Fighting For Air: The Battle To Control America's Media" author Eric Klinenberg brings these critical issues to our attention. While the American public has been asleep at the switch our President, the Congress and those who are supposed to regulate such matters have allowed companies like Clear Channel, Entercom, Citadel and Infinity to gobble up our local media. If you have grown tired of all of the canned programming and recognize the importance that local media outlets have played throughout American history then this is a book you should definitely consider.
So how did this happen? Over the past two decades our government has been "deregulating" media. At one time, no company was allowed to own more than one television station in a community. The number of radio stations were also strictly regulated. And the FCC would never have allowed a company that owned a major daily newspaper to own a television station in the same town. All of this began to change in the 1980's as broadcasters cried poverty and declared that they were having a difficult time turning a profit. There was some truth to this claim, particularly for small to medium size AM radio stations. Broadcasters petitioned to have ownership restrictions relaxed and as you will see the deregulation of our media began in earnest in the late 80's. Perhaps the most dramatic and controversial measure was the Telecommunications Act of 1996. In one fell swoop Congress and the FCC eliminated the national station ownership limit altogether and raised local limits from four to as many as eight radio stations in some communities. As a result of this legislation, Clear Channel now controls more than 1200 local radio stations in the United States. A funny thing happened as local radio and television stations were gobbled up by the media giants...local programming began to disappear. The change is most noticable on the radio where thousands of local hosts have been let go. Talk shows that used to focus on local issues have been replaced by the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly. And that guy giving you the weather on your local TV station may be based in a city hundreds or maybe even thousands of miles from your town.
Eric Klinenberg does an outstanding job of framing these issues for his readers. There is so much at stake here. It matters not your political persuasion. Each and every one of us has lost something precious. It is high time that the American people began to fight back! "Fighting For Air: The Battle To Control America's Media" is a great way to educate yourself about these extremely important issues. But we face an uphill fight. For obvious reasons you will never hear or see these issues discussed and debated on the major networks nor will you see them written about in the major newspapers in this country. Once you understand this, you will then begin to realize why so many Americans are convinced that the short-sighted and irresponsible consolidation of the media should rank as the top issue in the upcoming election. We must demand accountability from our elected officials. This is a comprehensive and well written book and one that I can highly recommend!

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Any college-level course in media studies needs this., March 12, 2007

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

FIGHTING FOR AIR: THE BATTLE TO CONTROL AMERICA'S MEDIA examines how national radio shows are adjusted to 'sound local', how the media consolidation is hurting America, and how in fact there is a vanishing case for local representation in the media. The author's interviewed many programming directors, DJs, reporters and more for this book surveying the politics and presence of media conglomerates, FCC and legal influences on media regulations and ownership, and how stories are promoted or killed by special interests. Any college-level course in media studies needs this.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars FCC = BIG BUSINESS agency that writes the laws for their PUPPET LEGISLATURES..
EASY GO! That is a tag line for the players in Las Vegas. It is also a tag line for the press when it comes to democracy. Read more

Published on February 18, 2007 by R. A. Barricklow

5.0 out of 5 stars A Critical Contribution to the Field
As a participant in the "media reform movement" who has witnessed and participated in the events Klinenberg describes, I found his observations accurate and his analysis... Read more

Published on January 16, 2007 by Harold Feld

1.0 out of 5 stars Overstated!
Klinenberg warns us that after the 1996 Telecommunications Act eliminated the national station ownership limit and raised local station ownership limits from 4 to as high as 8,... Read more

Published on January 14, 2007 by Loyd E. Eskildson

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