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Flat Earth News: An Award-Winning Reporter Exposes Falsehood, Distortion And Propaganda In The Global Media (2008)

by Nick Davies(Favorite Author)

4.18 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

0701181451 (ISBN13: 9780701181451)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Random House UK

review 1: Fascinating.Primary written from the British perspective, but asks the question, WHAT IS NEWS and WHAT IS JOURNALISM?Most of us, especially journalists assume that NEWS = "the truth", but news organizations themselves just claim to be "unbiased". Reporting on truth often means upsetting the prejudices of the masses and/or confrontation of powerful entrenched interests. For profit corporations sidestep the fundamental value of what NEWS/JOURNALISM could be and report "both sides" of each story - no obligation to report what is true.Also, there may have been a golden age of investigate reporting that the author wishes we would revisit, but the economics of the Newsroom dictate that fewer reporters must churn our more words. The ever increasing pace sacrifices quality turning... more what we once called "journalism" into what the author refers to as "churnalism": churning press release manufactured packages of "news" into actual coverage.Personally I've found the news in China not terribly different from the "free press" of the United States, primary difference being the substitution of a different set of political and economic interests that the publication hopes to influence or reinforce.Glad that I waste very little time catching up on "the news" and instead focus on reading books. So few readers these days doesn't seem to be as much propaganda value in all but the very best selling books, compared to TV, Newspaper, Magazine and especially popular online news sites.
review 2: An excellent expose of the inner workings of the international media machine !! The essence of Davies' argument is that growing corporate control of media outlets has resulted in press barons being motivated purely by profits looking for any way in which to slash costs whilst simultaneously achieving the scoops that boost readership. However, such efforts by magnates have resulted in the growth of sloppy journalism by journalist who are pressured to minimize costs, meet deadlines and boost readership. Consequently, journalists don't have the time or resources to fully research their stories or sources and thereby become vulnerable to exploitation by the PR industry who see an opportunity to have their Press Releases repeated verbatim by a supposedly "independent" media. In conclusion, if you got enough celebrities and pseudo-experts to state categorically that the earth was flat it would soon become common knowledge that world is indeed flat. less

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