The Elements of Journalism: What Newspeople Should Know and The Public Should Expect (Paperback)

~ (Author), Tom Rosenstiel (Author) "On a gray December morning in 1981, Anna Semborska woke up and flipped on the radio to hear her favorite program, Sixty Minutes Per Hour..." (more)
Key Phrases: watchdog principle, interlocking public, committee forum, New York Times, Washington Post, White House (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

These are tough times for journalism. Newsroom executives' bonuses tend to be based on their company's profit margin. Journalists are constantly jockeying for the time and space necessary to tell their stories as they see fit. Only 47 percent of Americans even read a newspaper. And Time and Newsweek--news magazines, remember?--"were seven times more likely to have the same cover story as People magazine in 1997 than in 1977."

It's no wonder that in 1997, the Committee of Concerned Journalists formed to "engage journalists and the public in a careful examination of what journalism was supposed to be." The Elements of Journalism reports the results of that study, which included 21 public forums (attended by 3,000 people), in-depth interviews with 100 journalists, editorial content studies, and research into the history of journalism. Part of what the committee members learned, they already knew. Journalism is complicated business: journalists are paid by management but work for the citizens; they tend to be self-taught (there is little evidence of mentoring and much disdain for journalism schools); and they need to be objective even when they're not impartial. This has always been the case. But the committee also detected a trend, one abundantly evident to anyone who has tried to find news on the evening TV news: "news was becoming entertainment and entertainment news."

"Unless we can grasp and reclaim the theory of a free press," warn Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel, the book's authors, "journalists risk allowing their profession to disappear." Through their discussions with journalists, the Committee of Concerned Journalists defined nine "clear principles" of journalism, which Kovach and Rosenstiel explore in great detail. The first principle is, "Journalism's first obligation is to the truth." The last: "Its practitioners must be allowed to exercise their personal conscience." In between come issues of loyalty, verification, independence, and power monitoring, among others.

Invigorating reading for newsroom interns, jaded reporters, and anyone else who needs to be reminded of the rigorousness, integrity, and meaning of journalism. --Jane Steinberg --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

In 1997, 25 men and women formed the Committee of Concerned Journalists and began a three-year investigation into what they believe is a crisis in journalism today. If, as they set forth, "the purpose of journalism is to provide people with the information they need to be free and self-governing," the committee believes that journalism has lost its credibility in the interest of the bottom line. One of the main reasons for this new emphasis on the bottom line, claim committee chair Kovach and fellow member Rosenstiel (coauthors of Warp Speed: America in the Age of Mixed Media), is that "technology is shaping a new economic organization of information companies [e.g., Time Warner is now part of AOL, Disney owns ABC News], which is subsuming journalism inside it." In this incisive, controversial and well-presented work, the authors have synthesized the committee's findings to lay down nine principles of sound journalism for both those in the industry and the citizens who rely on the free press as a fundamental element of democracy. First and foremost among these principles is journalism's "obligation to the truth." At first glance, this principle may appear self-evident, but as Kovach and Rosenstiel explain, what constitutes the truth is sticky and often misunderstood. For example, the truth may be neither fair nor balanced, nor should it necessarily be, they say. Kovach and Rosenstiel have issued a clarion call to their colleagues, and they hope that all journalists, editors and owners of news organizations will incorporate the principles of the profession as they've outlined them into their everyday work. However, the authors offer no specific suggestions as to how to enact these principles in a wide-reaching or systematic manner.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Three Rivers Press (December 26, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0609806912
• ISBN-13: 978-0609806913
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #256,638 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clear explanation of the purpose of journalism, June 20, 2002

By	Rebecca (Salem, MA) - See all my reviews

Did you ever give much thought to the "unbiased" nature of journalism? Or about "balanced coverage" in articles and newscasts? Well, Kovach and Rosenstiel certainly have -- and their thoughts on these concepts are nothing short of revolutionary.

1. The authors argue that by nature, journalists are biased -- and that this is ok.

2. They also claim that "balanced coverage" is unfair, and should not be a goal of journalism.

Sounds crazy, right? At first blush, yes; but by clearly delineating what journalists SHOULD do, the authors make a strong argument that "bias" and "balance" are misused terms that ought to be discarded.

For example, they say that requiring journalists to be unbiased is unnatural, for bias is part of human nature -- and professional journalists should not be required to forget who they are. Instead, journalists should maintain an *independence* from those they cover, so that they are not unduly influenced by people they interview -- even if they do agree with them.

Likewise, they argue that "balance" should not be a tenet of journalism, because not all voices deserve equal time. The authors instead suggest keeping the news "comprehensive and proportional," so that the time allotted to various parties in an issue is proportional to their role or importance in that issue.

And so, perhaps Kovach and Rosenstiel aren't so crazy, after all. In fact, the book is full of sensible arguments like these, making it a fascinating read; what I've discussed here is only the tip of the iceberg.

I highly recommend it!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Journalism's New Manifesto - Hold all Newspeople to it!, December 19, 2003

By	Daniel C. Wilcock "journal-ist" (Osaka, Japan) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you are a reporter, an editor, a source, a media-critic or just want to be more informed about the people informing you -- buy this slim little treasure trove of clear, well-written prose.

It is remarkable for its honest portrait of American journalism circa the New Millenium. It is designed to be a primer for citizens, journalists and journalism students in the issues surrounding:

1)Ethics
2)Commercial Pressures
3)Techniques
4)The Future

And unlike most media-critic books, this one doesn't have a political chip on its shoulder. Nor does it take an arrogant tone, despite it's axiomatic nature (to paraphrase Carl Sessions Stepp).

It's actually a pretty humble assesment by two people who care a lot about journalism.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars At last, a journalism Bible that's both clear and readable, April 6, 2001

By	Craig Buck "I think, therefore I read" (Sherman Oaks, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Elements of Journalism: What Newspeople Should Know and the Public Should Expect (Hardcover)

The authors clearly had "The Elements of Style" in mind when they wrote this book, and "The Elements of Journalism" has what it takes to become that same sort of indispensable classic. Everyone who aspires to become a journalist, who makes a living as a journalist, or who consumes journalism and wants to sharpen his or her critical skills should read this book. Moreover, "The Elements of Journalism" seems to be sparking a renewed national debate on the vital role of journalism in a free society and the professional standards that are required to effectively play that role. In an age of nonjournalistic corporations gobbling up journalistic media and spitting it out as "infotainment," the articulation of these standards is more important than ever. Bravo!