News flash : journalism, infotainment, and the bottom-line business of broadcast news

While talking heads debate the media’s alleged conservative or liberal bias, award-winning journalist Bonnie Anderson knows that the problem with television news isn’t about the Left versus the Right-- it’s all about the money. From illegal hiring practices to ethnocentric coverage to political cheerleading, News Flash exposes how American broadcast conglomerates’ pursuit of the almighty dollar consistently trumps the need for fair and objective reporting. Along the way to the bottomline, the proud tradition of American television journalism has given way to an entertainment-driven industry that’s losing credibility and viewers by the day. As someone who has worked as both a broadcast reporter and a network executive, Anderson details how the networks have been co-opted by bottom-line thinking that places more value on a telegenic face than on substantive reporting. Network executives—the real power in broadcast journalism—are increasingly employing tactics and strategies from the entertainment industry. They "cast" reporters based on their ability to "project credibility," value youth over training and experience, and often greenlight coverage only if they can be assured that it will appeal to advertiser-friendly demographics. "From illegal hiring practices to ethnocentric coverage to political cheerleading, News Flash exposes how American broadcast conglomerates' pursuit of the almighty dollar consistently trumps the need for fair and objective reporting." "As someone who has worked as both a broadcast reporter and a network executive, Bonnie Anderson details how the networks have been co-opted by bottom-line thinking that places more value on a telegenic face than on substantive reporting." "This reckless pursuit of the bottom line not only betrays the American people but is also ultimately bad news for the networks' own financial health. Anderson instead offers a path that will both ensure the continuing relevance of network news and shore up democracy itself, enabling Americans to make well-informed decisions about how to exercise their rights and responsibilities as citizens."--BOOK JACKET. NEWS FLASH......Page 5 CONTENTS......Page 9 Preface......Page 11 Acknowledgments......Page 21 1 The Rise of the Corporate News Networks......Page 27 2 What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You......Page 51 3 This Is Good Business?......Page 67 4 The Good......Page 99 5 The Bad......Page 121 6 And the Ugly......Page 141 7 All Profits, All the Time......Page 175 8 We Report, We Decide......Page 213 9 Strange Bedfellows......Page 227 Conclusion: Rx for TV Journalism......Page 251 Notes......Page 263 The Author......Page 275 Name Index......Page 277 Subject Index......Page 283 While talking heads debate the media's alleged conservative or liberal bias, this author feels that the problem with television news is all about the money. As someone who has worked as both an Emmy-winning broadcast reporter and a network executive, Anderson details how bottom-line thinking places more value on a telegenic face than on substantive reporting. She claims that as news executives employ tactics from the entertainment industry, they betray not only the viewers' right to know, but also, ultimately, the networks' own financial health The Rise Of The Corporate News Networks -- What You Don't Know Can Hurt You -- This Is Good Business? -- The Good -- The Bad -- And The Ugly -- All Profits, All The Time -- We Report, We Decide -- Strange Bedfellows -- Conclusion: Rx For Tv Journalism. Bonnie M. Anderson. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 237-248) And Indexes.