Customer Reviews

How to Watch TV News: Revised Edition

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Truly eye-opening and fascinating. I read the first edition quite a few years back and eagerly read the newly revised edition that addresses the web and how it further affects the devolving quality of America's television news programming. It's astounding how little we truly know about something that is such an integral part of our everyday lives. The world of news can be overwhelming, and as a medium can't always be trusted. This book illuminates its inner workings in an easy and interesting way. You will never "watch" news the same way again after reading this book.

How to Watch TV News is an excellent resource for the budding media theorist or the person who wants to know why New Orleans and the Iraq War do not get the same airtime as a news anchor saying "Keep $#&* that chicken!"

The argument is simple - we need to learn HOW to watch TV. The understanding and properly contextualizing media (TV or otherwise) is not a given. It is not inherent to our DNA to know why some stories are presented in certain ways and others not at all.

The book exposes the danger and resulting vulnerability we all face when engaging with our televisions in an uninformed way.

Powers is the real deal--he's been in the news business forever--and he also knows how to explain and to look behind and beyond the obvious. Great read, and truly informative. You won't watch TV the same way again.

I purchased this book as a textbook for a college course I was taking. It was very interesting and informative. I would have found it so even if I weren't required to read it for the course. It'll open your eyes to the world of media!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who tunes into TV news to stay "in the know." This book truly enlightened me! Written by two award winning veterans in the field of journalism, I was pleased with the vast wealth of information and insight provided in this book. Packed with industry facts and shrewd perceptions, the book made me seriously ponder "what exactly is TV news and just what have I been watching all these years?" This book is also very timely, as it delves into how the Internet has further altered the reality and integrity of the news. It's a must read for anyone who wants to fully understand TV news and how it can manipulate our world view.

I just read the updated edition of this book, originally written by late media critic Neil Postman. Considering how much news some of us watch, I think this is a subject that should actually be covered in school. It reviews the nuts-and-bolts of TV news production as well as the limitations and challenges that news producers face. It also addresses the biases and limitations inherent in the visual medium. The main issue that the authors want watchers to be aware of is the effect of commercials and (mega)corporate ownership on news content (or lack of it). It was surprisingly well-balanced (e.g., it only mentioned Fox "News" a couple of times). There's also a chapter near the end that gives TV news-watching advice (e.g., read more news and watch less on TV). Give it a try - it's more interesting than it may sound!

I was out of town when the book was delivered. The book was in good condition. Thank you.

Like the authors, I have little use for TV news. I spend more time brushing my teeth in a given year than I do watching TV news.

Nonetheless, I have two big problems with this book. First, it has little new information to offer. Networks are owned by large corporations (I had no idea!), the primary objective of TV news programs is to make money (shocking!), someone in the newsroom is making considered decisions about what will be included -- and what won't -- in each news broadcast, and their biases are a factor (say it ain't so!!), TV news programs go to great lengths to make their anchors and sets slick and attractive (pass the smelling salts...I think I'm going to faint!!!).

But perhaps the most offensive aspect of the book is the authors' bias. For example, when pointing out that politicians carefully control how they are photographed or videotaped by the news media (I know...more shocking allegations), the two examples cited are George Bush and Ronald Reagan. What...they couldn't recall any examples of Bill Clinton doing this?

The example above is relatively mild when compared to the discussion on a study that was done that concluded Sunday morning talk shows have given "more opportunities to appear" to Republicans and conservatives than for those in other political categories. The book states that the study was conducted by "the nonprofit, Web-based Media Matters for America." Media Matters' own About Us page describes the organization as "a Web-based, not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) progressive research and information center dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media." (Cited May 15, 2009.) So the authors saw fit to describe MMFA as Web-based and nonprofit, but didn't deem it necessary to reveal that it is a "progressive" group that attempts to correct "convervative misinformation." Is anyone really surprised that such a group would come to the conclusion that it did? Such brazen selectivity of the description of a source is unforgivable and contemptible.

While approaching TV news with eyes wide open is a necessity -- and one that far too few individuals employ -- the authors' slanted essay, filled with the obvious, does little to advance the discussion. My two-star rating is very generous.