Tracy M. (tracymar) reviewed Tragedy and Farce: How the American Media Sell Wars, Spin Elections, and Destroy Democracy on + 409 more book reviews
I read about 25 or more political books a year, and this is one of the most important ones I've read in the past decade. It fully explains just how and why our media is rarely invested in the truth or real investigative reporting, and compromised in its "spin" by corporate ownership, pandering to profit concerns, substituting real reporting for entertainment dollars etc.
From a Booklist review: "The authors examine current media practices in the context of press freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights and the concepts held by the Founding Fathers. The troubling recent presidential elections and the war in Iraq--and the lackluster reporting by the media--are the latest in a long trend toward a kind of corporate media that treats Americans as consumers rather than citizens. The authors compare manipulation of American news reporting and elections to practices of the Soviet Union at its strongest, with the political Right exerting more control of the news cycle. The authors also examine some promising trends--including the Internet and creation of independent media. The book includes interviews with John Kerry, Howard Dean, Barack Obama, and other key political figures, exploring concerns about the media's role in democracy".
Even though Obama won the 2008 Election and democracy worked this time around, it doesn't mean that we're free of the corruption resulting from depending upon unreliable and biased sources of information. This book is essential reading if we are to work to change the media infrastructure -- upon which our entire democracy is based.
From a Booklist review: "The authors examine current media practices in the context of press freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights and the concepts held by the Founding Fathers. The troubling recent presidential elections and the war in Iraq--and the lackluster reporting by the media--are the latest in a long trend toward a kind of corporate media that treats Americans as consumers rather than citizens. The authors compare manipulation of American news reporting and elections to practices of the Soviet Union at its strongest, with the political Right exerting more control of the news cycle. The authors also examine some promising trends--including the Internet and creation of independent media. The book includes interviews with John Kerry, Howard Dean, Barack Obama, and other key political figures, exploring concerns about the media's role in democracy".
Even though Obama won the 2008 Election and democracy worked this time around, it doesn't mean that we're free of the corruption resulting from depending upon unreliable and biased sources of information. This book is essential reading if we are to work to change the media infrastructure -- upon which our entire democracy is based.
