The News About the News: American Journalism in Peril (Hardcover)

~ Leonard Downie Jr. (Author), Robert G. Kaiser (Author) "The story is a legend now, but it really did happen..." (more)
Key Phrases: most popular news sites, best news organizations, original journalism, Washington Post, Los Angeles, New York Times (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

There's good news and bad news. That's the inside scoop on the state of journalism from Washington Post editors Leonard Downie Jr. and Robert G. Kaiser, whose book The News About the News sheds light on the changes wrought on the profession during the late 20th century. Using the clear, sharp prose emblematic of their craft, the authors examine the effects of changing business standards, the merger of news and entertainment, and--of course--the Internet explosion on how reporting is produced and consumed. Their verdict is that thoroughly researched, unbiased stories on vital topics not only provide a public service but also will sell papers and commercials. This is, of course, a welcome call to arms for reporters, editors, readers, and viewers to demand higher-quality work from news providers. It's hard to find flaws in their arguments; though they are mildly print-chauvinistic, they recognize the problems of their own medium just as much as radio, TV, and the Web. Readers of The News About the News will find themselves better able to evaluate journalism and, perhaps, to help create a demand for good news. --Rob Lightner

From Publishers Weekly

For much of the 1980s and '90s, the news media were in a slump. Largely nonconsequential stories on celebrity weddings and car crashes made headlines. But on September 11, according to veteran Washington Post staffers Downie and Kaiser (executive and associate editor, respectively), things abruptly changed. "Hard news was back in the forefront," they say, and in this powerful and timely assessment of the present state of the news, the two present compelling evidence of the shaky ground newspapers and television news stand on today. By describing the profound impact the news can have (e.g., the Salt Lake Tribune's uncovering of the corruption in the bidding process for this winter's Olympic games), Downie and Kaiser prove that even in our celebrity-driven age, news does matter. They mainly focus on newspapers and television news in this succinct, unpreachy treatise, briefly skimming over the Internet and the rise of MSNBC.com and Salon.com, among other Web sites. Not surprisingly, the authors are biased toward newspapers for their unsensational, in-depth coverage of current affairs; they even suggest exercises for readers to compare television with print news. But they're not above admitting print's problems, either, namely, the increasing importance of enhancing shareholder value and the emphasis on the bottom line. Downie and Kaiser give a fairly brief yet meaningful history of newspapers and television news, juxtaposing the history with interviews with today's leading journalists, from NBC icon Tom Brokaw to former New York Times national editor Dean Baquet. This is an important, up-to-date study that should be required reading for journalism students and serious consumers of the news. Agent, Amanda Urban.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Knopf; 1 edition (February 19, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375408746
• ISBN-13: 978-0375408748
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,067,328 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Decline of Quality Journalism, March 8, 2002

By	Crack Reviewer (USA) - See all my reviews

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.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting but not especially surprising, March 1, 2002

By	Kerry Walters (Lewisburg, PA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Downie and Kaiser's book is an excellently written and entertaining look at how the print and electronic news media operate today. The trouble is that the thesis is old news, even if the examples with which the authors illustrate it aren't. The general message the authors want to get across is, alas, all too well known: too few mega-bucked families own too many newspapers and TV stations, marketing is increasingly the tail that wags the news and editorial dog, politicians manipulatively lie to reporters whom they've cultivated, advertizers buy "info-mercials" that the media masquerade as documentaries. This is stuff that's common lore. Where Downie and Kaiser shine is in illustrating these points with behind-the-scenes anecdotes pulled from their joint years at the "Washington Post." Especially interesting is their discussion of the "Post's" greatest investigative reporting victory, the series on cops who killed civilians in Washington DC., and the "Post's" dropping of the ball on Irangate. There's a certain degree of self-congratulation in the book--the two authors clearly think that the "Washington Post" is unrivaled in the editorial integrity department--but it's difficult to deny that a good case can be made for the kudos they give their paper. A bit more reflection on how media became the mess it is today, as well as how to fix it, would've strengthened the book. Still, one does get the gratifying sense that Downie and Kaiser are two old-school journalists who can be trusted. Unhappily, one also gets the sense that they're members of a dying breed.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Tale That Must Be Told!, July 3, 2002

By	CPUsports (Eastern Seaboard) - See all my reviews

If you read a newspaper, listen to the radio, or watch T.V. news, you MUST read this book. Kaiser and Downie, veterans journalists from the Washington Post, explain why our newspapers are the key to a vibrant, free press, and are the springboard for all other (read: electronic) types of journalism.

More importantly, the authors enlighten the readers to the deleterious effects of corporate ownership on newspapers. In an effort to maintain historically high profit margins - and therefore, stockholder equity - corporate influence causes newspapers large and small to trim news space, cut staff, and conform to cookie cutter reporting strategies. This book is a real eye-opener, and more than a little scary.