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Journalism: Truth or Dare?

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There's little dispute that journalism has played ~ and will continue to play ~ the primary role in our perception of world affairs and the world around us.

But, as Ian Hargreaves, author of 'Journalism: Truth or Dare', asks ~ is journalism the 'first draft of history' or has it become a form of entertainment obsessed with celebrity and trivia?

Whichever the case, 'Journalism: Truth or Dare' is a thought-provoking book which examines the big issues facing international journalism ~ everything from ethics, accountability and opinion to obscenity, libel and corporate interests.

The book considers journalism in all its guises, from the origins of the free press in England 300 years ago to today's global media empires, including iconic figures, like Rupert Murdoch, as well as movies depicting the media. It also discusses different journalistic practices in various countries and cultures.

Hargreaves makes many insightful comments about the profession and its impact on society, such as:

"News, which was once difficult and expensive to obtain, today surrounds us like the air we breathe. Much of it is literally ambient: displayed on computers, public billboards, trains, aircraft, and mobile phones. When once news had to be sought out in expensive and scarce news sheets, today it is ubiquitous and very largely free at the point of consumption. Satisfying news hunger no longer involves a twice daily diet of a morning newspaper and evening TV news bulletin: news comes in snack-form, to be grazed, and at every level of quality. Where once journalism's reach was confined by the time it took to haul bundles of newsprint from one end of a country to the other, now it is global, instantaneous, and interactive."

'Journalism: Truth or Dare' features chapters on:

* Children of the Revolution: journalism and the market
* Journalism and the idea of press freedom
* The Pen and the Sword: journalism and the state
* There's no business like show business: journalism as entertainment
* Who owns journalists?
* Journalism and public relations
* A cookie laced with arsenic: journalism and ethics

Hargreaves believes that the state of journalism today is of vital importance, not only to journalists, but to the general public as a whole ~ and he is right. He says: "Good journalism provides the information and opinion upon which successful democratic societies depend. Corrupt that and you corrupt everything. But, equally, let journalism ossify, or be economically undermined, and politics and public life will suffer."

This comment is typical of the author's approach. Part apologist, part condemner ~ it is difficult to determine his ultimate opinion on journalism today. He makes many valid points for and against its value in society, but to the end his own conclusions remain unclear. Maybe Hargreaves, like all good journalists, is simply reporting the facts without fear or favor, leaving it to the reader to decide.

All in all, 'Journalism: Truth or Dare' presents a considered, well-balanced appraisal of the industry of journalism, examining the major debates, concerns and future directions. It is an important book for our time and one that should be read by all deep-thinking people.

-- Michael Meanwell, author of the critically-acclaimed 'The Enterprising Writer' and 'Writers on Writing'. For more book reviews and prescriptive articles for writers, visit www.enterprisingwriter.com