The Death and Life of American Journalism : The Media Revolution That Will Begin the World Again

Daily newspapers are closing across America. Washington bureaus are shuttering; whole areas of the federal government are now operating with no press coverage. International bureaus are going, going, gone. Journalism, the counterbalance to corporate and political power, the lifeblood of American democracy, is not just threatened. It is in meltdown. In The Death and Life of American Journalism , Robert W. McChesney, an academic, and John Nichols, a journalist, who together founded the nation's leading media reform network, Free Press, investigate the crisis. They propose a bold strategy for saving journalism and saving democracy, one that looks back to how the Founding Fathers ensured free press protection with the First Amendment and provided subsidies to the burgeoning print press of the young nation. Daily Newspapers Are Closing Across America. Washington Bureaus Are Shuttering; Whole Areas Of The Federal Government Are Now Operating With No Press Coverage. International Bureaus Are Going, Going, Gone. Journalism, The Counterbalance To Corporate And Political Power, The Lifeblood Of American Democracy, Is Not Just Threatened. It Is In Meltdown. In The Death And Life Of American Journalism, Robert W. Mcchesney, An Academic, And John Nichols, A Journalist, Who Together Founded The Nation's Leading Media Reform Network, Free Press, Investigate The Crisis. They Propose A Bold Strategy For Saving Journalism That Looks Back To How The Founding Fathers Ensured Free Press Protection With The First Amendment And Provided Subsidies To The Burgeoning Print Press Of The Young Nation.-publisher Description. American Crisis, American Opportunity -- The Crisis In Journalism -- Flawed Choices, False Hopes -- Why The State -- Subsidizing Democracy -- The Age Of The Possible -- Appendix I: Founding Principles -- Appendix Ii: Ike, Macarthur, And The Forging Of Free And Independent Press -- Appendix Iii: Sources For The Book's Charts. Robert W. Mcchesney, John Nichols. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 275-318) And Index. American journalism is collapsing as newspapers and magazines fail and scores of reporters are laid off across the country. Conventional wisdom says the Internet is to blame, but veteran journalists and media critics Robert W. McChesney and John Nichols disagree. The crisis of American journalism predates the Great Recession and digital media boom. What we are witnessing now is the end of the commercial news model and the opportune moment for the creation of a new system of independent journalism, one subsidized by the public and capable of safeguarding our democracy. (Publisher)

American journalism is collapsing as newspapers and magazines fail and scores of reporters are laid off across the country. Conventional wisdom says the Internet is to blame, but veteran journalists and media critics Robert W. McChesney and John Nichols disagree. The crisis of American journalism predates the Great Recession and digital media boom. What we are witnessing now is the end of the commercial news model and the opportune moment for the creation of a new system of independent journalism, one subsidized by the public and capable of safeguarding our democracy.

Preface to the paperback edition Preface American crisis, American opportunity The crisis in journalism Flawed choices, false hopes Why the state Subsidizing democracy The age of the possible Afterword Appendix I: Founding principles Appendix II: Ike, MacArthur, and the forging of free and independent press Appendix III: Sources for the book's charts. As the number of journalists collapses, the ranks of public relations operatives expand. These PR agents are quite willing to create "news" for us to the benefit of their surreptitious paymasters. A new system of independent journalism must be created and subsidized by the public if democracy is to survive and prosper Discusses what the authors see as the collapse of American journalism, citing increased corporate control since the late 1970s as the primary reason for journalism's demise, examining the critical role of journalism in a democracy, and calling for a new system of independent journalism, subsidized by the public Argues that the current economic model for the support of news gathering and dissemination is no longer viable, but that professional journalism is so important for a democracy that government subsidies are necessary to preserve it The #x93;Paul Revere and Tom Paine" (according to Bill Moyers) of media reform propose a bold and controversial response to the current crisis of journalism