Review by Choice Review
Southern Illinois University invited four well-known TV correspondents and alumni--Roger O'Neil, Walter Rodgers, Chris Bury, Jim Bitterman--to discuss their experiences. This volume reports on that discussion and presents essays by these four corresponds and others, thus broadening the coverage to include matters of race and gender, history and future. In a brief foreword, Ted Koppel claims that in this satellite, fiber optic, Internet age, reporters need to return to the "old fashion" professional style. Foote's introduction explains the role and importance of the TV correspondent in the past, then describes changes that have sapped correspondents' autonomy, security, and loyalty to their news organizations. In their essays, the journalists describe their love of pursuing breaking stories, the halcyon days of unlimited expense accounts, daily struggles with producers and anchorpersons to get stories on air, and current frustrations with entertainment-oriented bosses. Only the CNN correspondents report feeling that they have a significant role to play. The correspondents agree that the role of the TV news journalist will never be as important as it once was. Though interesting, this volume adds little to readers' knowledge of how and why changes come about or of present theories and principles. R. Cathcart CUNY Queens College
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Booklist Review
Several familiar names in television journalism analyze developments in television news, from changes in technology, rising celebrity but declining public regard for correspondents, continued sparsity of women and minorities on the air and behind the scenes to the impact of the Internet on television reporting. The book comes out of a conference at Southern Illinois University (SIU) on changes in television reporting, featuring some of the school's better-known alumni: Jim Bitterman, Chris Bury, Roger O'Neil, and Walter Rodgers. Typical of the lack of diversity in news coverage, only one minority (George Strait) and one woman (Marlene Sanders) are included among the writers. Strait challenges the myth of objectivity in news coverage when anthropology and other disciplines acknowledge the effect of the observer on a situation. The essays examine the influence of economics and technology on news gathering, the trend toward mergers with non-news organizations, and the blurring lines between news and entertainment. --Vanessa Bush
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Like many academics, University of Southern California professor Reeves feels that a lot of journalism has been "blood, fire, sports, sex, mixed with stories to make you feel good about yourself and bad about your government." But as an experienced reporter for the New York Times and the creator of award-winning television documentaries, he still believes that journalists are crucial, irreplaceable contributors to a democratic society. His 12th book reconciles his skepticism and faith with vivid arguments of seasoned optimism. Reeves lauds both "Old Fartism" (journalistic integrity, hard work and the four Ws) and technological change (experimentation, speed and adaptation). Answering charges that journalists are becoming outdated, Reeves stresses their resilience and dedication, cites CNN's successes and even claims that "newspapers are better than they were pre-television." While people may "get the news" in revolutionary new ways, Reeves cares most about how news "is gathered and prepared for transmission." Reeves does fear journalists' profit motives, their incessant criticism of government and their ignorance of business. Why? Because "corporations own newspapers and television stations, government does not; corporations sue newspapers and television stations, government does not." Based on his 1997 Joanna Jackson Goldman Memorial Lecture at the Library of Congress, this book's anecdotal approach may not satisfy historians, but Reeves's seasoned, passionately optimistic treatise should inform and inspire both media consumers and journalists alike. (Nov.) FYI: Another forthcoming book on the changing face of journalism, Live from the Trenches: The Changing Role of the Network News Correspondent, collects essays from 10 distinguished correspondents, covering everything from the changing nature of communications technology to the diminishing world of foreign news coverage. Foreword by Ted Koppel. (Southern Illinois Univ., $22.95 159p ISBN 0-8093-2232-3; Nov.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
CNN's recent retraction of its report on the use of nerve gas in Vietnam once again raises questions about the accuracy of news. As the fired producers continue to defend the story, the public is left to judge for itself. In addition to this growing public distrust, television news is also being threatened by the industry's attempts to cut costs. Foote, the dean of the College of Mass Communication and Media Arts at Southern Illinois University, has edited a volume that is the first to explore the role of television news correspondents. Jim Bittermann, Marlene Sanders, George Strait, and other correspondents reflect on past glories and speculate about the future. While their current role is not critically assessed here, the book does offer the perspectives of current practitioners in the field. It will be a welcome addition to journalism collections and to public libraries where media books circulate well.Judy Solberg, George Washington Univ. Lib., Washington, DC (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Choice Review
Review by Booklist Review
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Review by Library Journal Review
