Product Description

Is the mainstream media dying, and what does that mean for democracy?

Emmy Award-winning journalist Danny Schechter, "The News Dissector," takes a close look at today's big media news outlets, the new media striving to replace them, and the impact it is all having on the health of our democracy.

A self-proclaimed "refugee" from mainstream media-Schechter was a producer at ABC's 20/20 and at CNN-he examines the evidence: plummeting newspaper circulation, the dive in network ratings, relentless media scandals and the loss of credibility, unprecedented media concentration, the rise of aggressive partisan "news," and more. It's no wonder, he says, that polls have put media dissatisfaction-even among media people themselves-at up to 70 percent.

Yet a healthy, active media is crucial to the functioning of a democracy. So how do we revitalize the fourth estate?

In a book that is half manifesto and half piercing investigation, Schechter searches for an answer, first by exploring the promise of new media-the Internet, webcasts, satellite TV and radio, podcasts, and other new forms rapidly being born. This, in turn, leads him to consider how these new outlets are fueling the movement for democracy in media and the rise of citizen journalism-efforts by average citizens to reclaim the public airwaves.

It is, in the end, an inspiring guide to what can be done now, and thanks to Schechter's passion and his vast experience, it is also something more: a brilliant and thrilling look at a turning point in our history.

Danny Schechter is the executive editor of Mediachannel.org, where he also maintains a daily media blog. While a Neiman Fellow in Journalism at Harvard University, he was also news director of the legendary Boston rock station WBCN-FM. Schechter subsequently became one of the first producers at CNN and later won two Emmys as a producer for ABC's 20/20. His independent film, WMD: Weapons of Mass Deception, analyzes media coverage of the Iraq war.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1578843 in Books
• Published on: 2005-09-01
• Released on: 2005-09-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 150 pages

About the Author
Danny Schechter, "the news dissector," is Executive Editor of Mediachannel.org where his daily bog appears. The former news director of the legendary rock station WBCN-FM in Boston, Schechter was also a producer for CNN and for ABC TV's 20/20 program, where he won two Emmys. His new film WMD (Weapons of Mass Deception) takes on the media coverage of the Iraq war.

Customer Reviews

a guide to indie film and media
This is a short book, but it is an important one. It's actually so short that you might actually read it. And it's not a bad introduction to some of the craziness that has been going on at the FCC and PBS. If you have only been watching the evening news, it is a great first step. I grew up listening to Schechter on the radio. He tells the news like nothing that you would believe.
My favorite part of this little book is Schechter's observations about independent filmmaking. Schechter was behind the independent film WMD: Weapons of Mass Deception a couple of years back, and here he shares his own experiences about how and why he made the film. When you think about how little the mainstream media did to tell the story of the lead up to the Iraq War, you realize that documentaries have a huge role to play in our media landscape. Now all of the big media is going back, looking over their records and trying to figure out what went wrong with their reporting. But the alternative media, and Schechter himself, told the story almost as it was happening. This dedication to following the story seems to define a new generation of media makers, ones that work outside the big TV networks. Schechter also talk about self-syndicating to PBS stations and other tricks to get one's media message out into the world.
In short, he is talking about how the "good guys" work in today's media.
The book also ends on a really funny note about Pope John Paul II and the last official letter that he wrote before his death. It turns out that he wanted the media to reform itself. Schechter notes that this story was almost entirely covered up, even though the American media made a nauseating media spectacle out of the Pope's last days. This book is worth it for his little section alone. It is almost as if the mainstream media didn't want you to know about media reform....

The News Dissector
I think Chomsky said it best: Danny Schechter has "literally educated a generation." Always check out his blog, www.newsdissector.org, which is always enlightening. But this book is also a nice treat for folks who have not followed Schechter closely. He takes on the American media in a whole new way.

When Media Undermines Democracy
Schechter has made me realize that the battle to save America's media from ideologues, corporate interests, and casual censorship is already going strong. He's compiled a big list of folks who are already at work on this important issue, and he tells you about much of the work they have been doing. Think pirate radio and IndyMedia, but also think about free WiFi Internet and news professionals in revolt. Amid much talk about blogs, here is a guy who gives real examples of folks who are opening up the media.