Free the press : the death of American journalism and how to revive it

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Title:

Free the press : the death of American journalism and how to revive it

Author:

Karem, Brian J., author.

ISBN:

9781633887664

Personal Author:

Karem, Brian J., author.

Physical Description:

xv, 2 leaves of plates, 295 pages : illustrations (chiefly color) ; 24 cm

General Note:

Source of cataloging data: WCP

Abstract:

"Blending his experiences as a veteran reporter with trenchant analysis of the erosion of trust between the press and the government in the past 40 years, Free the Press gives readers a unique perspective on the challenges facing journalism, as well as the rise of hostility between these institutions"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Foreword / by Sam Donaldson -- Justice to all, partiality to none -- Hear the footsteps, Sam? -- No different than toasters -- Don't worry about it -- A wonderful buster of balloons -- What you got here is brain blood -- You're a little dog -- The war on drugs is a joke -- A tale of two cult leaders -- Open the floodgates -- Give the devil the benefit of the law? -- In a room with madness-post-9/11 -- What the hell is the espionage act? -- Enter the dragon -- Everyone knows it's Wendi -- Fake news -- If you stop counting ballots -- We really want more reporters covering us -- A staple in your navel -- Free the press.

Subject Term:

Government and the press -- United States.

Press and politics -- United States.

Freedom of the press -- United States.

Journalism -- Political aspects -- United States.

Journalism -- Objectivity -- United States.

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Library	Material Type	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
Searching... Sugar Grove - Todd Library	Book	PN4751 .K364 2021	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

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Summary

Blending his experiences as a veteran reporter with analysis of the erosion of trust between the press and the government during the past 40 years, in Free the Press, renowned journalist Brian J. Karem gives readers a unique perspective on the challenges facing journalism while asking the question, "How did we get here?" And perhaps more importantly, "How do we fix it?". Since the Vietnam War, each and every president has overseen the withering of relations between the Executive Branch and the so-called Fourth Estate. Politicians are not solely to blame, however. Corporate media has us following the news of the day for clicks and views rather than pursuing long term stories of impact. Reporters have ceased to frame the narrative and failed to co-opt social media contributions until it was too late.

Placed alongside a firsthand view of Karem's own experience as a reporter and manager in television, print, and the online media industry, where he witnessed buyouts and the end of locally owned and operated newspapers; a behind-the-scenes look at his work as a member of the White House Press Corps; and his advocacy to protect the journalistic pillar of anonymity, readers will come away with a deeper understanding of journalism, and what happened to it, at the national and local level.

Karem concludes with a three-step plan to save the free press, as well as a comprehensive method to reporting for reporters to regain level footing and work toward repairing the damage done to one of the most important and sacred institutional relationships of our country.

Reviews (1)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Karem, the senior White House correspondent for Playboy, blends memoir, history, and call to action in this impassioned look at how government manipulation and economic pressures have led to the decline of U.S. journalism over the past few decades. He notes that most of the newspapers and television stations where he worked over the past 37 years have been closed or dramatically altered, and details steps government officials have taken since the Vietnam War to make it more difficult for reporters to obtain public information. He also criticizes the 1987 elimination of the fairness doctrine that required holders of broadcast licenses to present controversial matters of public interest in a manner that was "honest, equitable, and balanced," the 1996 Telecommunications Act that set off a wave of corporate mergers and takeovers, and the Obama administration's aggressive use of the Espionage Act to prosecute whistleblowers who leak to journalists. Karem also notes that politicians including Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump have scored points with their supporters by attacking the "media elite," and calls on lawmakers to enforce antitrust laws to "break up media monopolies." Enlivened by Karem's vivid memories of the "good old days," this is a trenchant study of what ails the American press. (Dec.)

Sam Donaldson

Foreword	p. vii
Introduction	p. xi
1 Justice to All, Partiality to None	p. 1
2 Hear the Footsteps, Sam?	p. 17
3 No Different Than Toasters	p. 29
4 Don't Worry about It	p. 47
5 A Wonderful Burster of Balloons	p. 61
6 What You Got Here Is Brain Blood	p. 79
7 You're a Little Dog	p. 93
8 The War on Drugs Is a Joke	p. 111
9 A Tale of Two Cult Leaders	p. 127
10 Open the Floodgates	p. 141
11 Give the Devil the Benefit of the Law?	p. 151
12 In a Room with Madness-Post-9/11	p. 161
13 What the Hell Is the Espionage Act?	p. 177
14 Enter the Dragon	p. 193
15 Everyone Knows It's Wendi	p. 205
16 Fake News	p. 215
17 If You Stop Counting Ballots	p. 227
18 We Really Want More Reporters Covering Us	p. 239
19 A Staple in Your Navel	p. 253
20 Free the Press	p. 263
Notes	p. 281

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Summary

Reviews (1)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Table of Contents