Mediapolitik: How the Mass Media Have Transformed World Politics [Hardcover]

Lee Edwards (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0813209919 | ISBN-13: 978-0813209913 | Publication Date: April 2001

Drawing upon his lifelong study of politics and journalism, political historian Lee Edwards offers the first scholarly examination of a powerful new phenomenon in world politics—the mass media. Edwards argues in his far-ranging and innovative work that the media have become as important a factor in determining the course of international affairs and the future of nations as economic prosperity, military strength, natural resources, and national will. The author calls this vital new component of world politics "mediapolitik." He uses case studies from around the world to show how the mass media have influenced and even determined the outcome of major political acts such as the collapse of communism in Eastern and Central Europe, the Tiananmen Square massacre in China, the ousting of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, and the political resurrection of South Africa’s Nelson Mandela.

The author argues that these case studies show that the mass media can either enrich or enslave the human spirit, depending upon their moral foundation. If the media follow a liberal democratic model, as in the United States and Western Europe, they contribute to a free and just society. If they follow an authoritarian model, as in South Africa before Mandela, or a totalitarian model as in Saddam Hussein’s Iraq or Fidel Castro’s Cuba, they perpetuate the regime in power and deny the fruits of freedom and democracy to the people.

Edwards addresses the question of how responsibly the American media, the most influential media in the world, handle their enormous power. Using the results obtained from his survey of 100 leading journalists as well as close analysis of major news stories of the last decade, the author confirms the rampant cynicism of the American media and its deleterious effect on American politics and government. The solution, he suggests, is that American journalists must practice moral responsibility and strengthen the liberal democratic model of mediapolitik around the world.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Edwards, a fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation, offers a theory of the role of 20th-century mass media and its interconnectedness with politics. His theory is cohesive and the case studies are insightful, alert to interesting detail, and provide convincing examples of how and in what circumstances the skillful use of mass media can change historical outcomes. Among the examples are Chile and the 1988 plebiscite ousting Pinochet, China's Tiananmen Square, Russia under Gorbachev and glasnost, and South Africa and F.W. DeClerk's decision to dismantle apartheid. Edwards's analyses of how the Chilean democratic opposition parlayed 15 minutes a night of uncensored television time into a victory over Pinochet, and the role of the South African press, once freed of constraints, in aiding anti-apartheid factions are particularly illustrative of the potentially awesome power of the media. As demonstrations of the resiliency of human beings in search of freedom, both examples are inspiring. Although not dramatic, the description of kishas, Japanese press collectives that self-censor and generally honor establishment preferences, provides a fascinating contrast to the American press. But in the end, Edwards's credible academic theory of mediapolitik is secondary to his distress over the failings of mass media in America. Warming to this subject in his last chapters, Edwards launches a jeremiad against the empty moral sensibility of American journalists. The attack has substance and will find sympathetic readers. But Edwards's approach is too didactic, paternalistic and simplistic (he enjoins journalists to "practice virtues like wisdom, courage and prudence" and to "accept the responsibility of power and believe in the power of responsibility") to influence members of the media.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From Library Journal

Why did the United States intervene militarily in Somalia but not in the Sudan, where the magnitude of the human suffering has been at least as severe? Partly because of the intensive press coverage of the former and relative neglect of the latter. Edwards (senior fellow, Heritage Foundation; The Power of Ideas) examines the burgeoning influence of the print and electronic media in world politics. He finds that the media play a positive role when they support liberal democracy but that they can also be misused to support illiberal regimes, such as that of Iraq's Saddam Hussein. He raises the question of how to assure that the media uphold liberty rather than authoritarianism. To his credit, Edwards recoils from censorship; rather, he urges journalists to exercise moral responsibility and thus to refrain from sowing cynicism in the democratic nations. While many will quarrel with his conclusions, the insightful case studies comprising this work are a valuable addition to the literature on international relations. Recommended for all academic collections. James R. Holmes, Ph.D. candidate, Fletcher Sch. of Law & Diplomacy, Tufts Univ., Medford, MA
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Catholic University of America Press (April 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813209919
• ISBN-13: 978-0813209913
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,226,019 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A truly seminal work, April 12, 2002

By 

happy review warrior - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mediapolitik: How the Mass Media Have Transformed World Politics (Paperback)

Not often is a book published that truly is seminal, in that it introduces a definitive new way of looking at history and today. Mediapolitik is essentially the politics of the media, how media, particularly in modern times, not only reports politics but also participates in it. Using examples throughout the 20th century, Lee Edwards also is able to tell griping stories that illustrate why the liberating effects of media worked to free the eastern block, but failed in China, even after Tiananmen Square.

Argued also is that those in media must understand the power they possess, and that they must consciously adopt a philosophy to guide them to responsibility. Comprehensive, insightful, and even entertaining, this book would do well as a base text in a college course as well as enjoyable and enlightening to the casual reader. Edwards not only asks numerous questions, which in the end of this kind of research anyone could do, he actually offers some answers, although leaves which answers are best to the reader.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE BEST TALKING ABOUT MEDIA AND POLITICS., January 27, 2003

By 

Raul Baz Suarez (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mediapolitik: How the Mass Media Have Transformed World Politics (Hardcover)

Anybody interested in the history of the transformation of politics using the media this is the only book to read.
Lee Edwards, in twelve chapters, explains in an extremely detailed way the reality of what has happened in certain issues in history and how the media has been involved to change the course of things.
The author gives a fine description on how the media behaves in different parts of the world and even gives great pointers on how a journalist should work.
Not many books like this have been written and I sourly doubt that there will ever be another book about Media and Politics so complete as this one.