Review by Choice Review
Journalism faculty used to speak of objectivity with great reverence, as the holy grail of good reporting. In the current climate, audiences do not expect to find objectivity in their media, and the common belief has been that political leanings by media outlets have been a problem. Stroud (Univ. of Texas, Austin) makes a convincing argument that there are both positive and negative aspects to polarized political news reporting. Using primarily quantitative data, the author reveals how audiences use selective exposure, perception, and retention in their news-media choices and political arguments. She demonstrates that the bifurcation actually worsens over time: "As people consume more partisan media that match their political predispositions, they develop more polarized attitudes." But Stroud also points out that partisan media consumption can increase the individual's political participation, which most see as a good thing. Unlike Kathleen Hall Jamieson and Joseph Cappella's Echo Chamber: Rush Limbaugh and the Conservative Media Establishment (CH, Sep'09, 47-0104), Stroud's work points out the leanings by both ends of the political spectrum. She calls for a media landscape that includes both partisan and nonpartisan media. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals; general readers. D. Caristi Ball State University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
