Losing the News: The Future of the News That Feeds Democracy

When given the option, many people choose an easy lie, rather than face the hard, painful truth. Have you watched the TV newscasts recently? Read local papers recently? As a society, we have either chosen, or have stuffed down our throat, the easy lie. LOSING THE NEWS faces the hard, painful truth-as a society, our tradition of OBJECTIVE TRUTH has been slowly eraised from the media outlets, and replaced with Opinionated Journalism, or worse, gossip columns maskarading as news stories. Alex Jones has revealed a book of masterful scholarship, filled with revelation upon revelation about the history of the American Newspaper, the Supreme Court decisions about freedom of the press, the evolution of Television newscasts, the dependency of a free democracy on reliable news, and the downfall of the veracity of our media, and its replacement with "Advocacy news", a.k.a. propaganda. I can't say I read this book quickly, or with much joy. Instead, I underlined many passages, complained to friends about new facts I'd just discovered, or watched dumbfounded as information I just learned made clear the filtering of news stories in the local paper. This is not an easy book to read, because it's the truth, the hard, painful truth about the erosion of the US media outlets. Alex Jones was raised in a Newspaper family, that owned the GREENEVILLE SUN (in Greeneville, Tenn.) He watched as newspapers revealed the sham of WATERGATE, and the downfall of a president, accomplished by investagative reporters. Then, the terrible realization that due to the cuts in staffs, even our country's major papers dont have the ability to snoop around and discover the dark underbelly, and deceptions of our government, or corperations, and reveal them to the public. Jones worked at the NEW YORK TIMES from 1983 to 1992, and won a Pulitzer Prize. His observations aren't the ramblings of opinion makers, but rather a detailed account of the rise of investigative reporting, and its downfall. An entire chapter of the book just documents the history of the First Admendment, guarenteeing freedom of the Press, and how that was slowly refined during the nation's history. Of course, this will be "news" to most people, because no doubt most people believe we always had freedom of the Press and free speech. Surprisingly, its only about 75 years old. Naturally, the rise in "Advocacy News" is well documented. FoxNEWS might be many things, but its not news reporting of course, in the sense that news must have objective, verifiable facts, and be loyal to the citizens and not corperations or political interests. When these disciplines are not met, we are left with propaganda, pure and simple. Since a truly free, democratic government cannot be maintained without the oversight of investigative news, our democracy is threatened. Big time. This is not shouted from the corner of the street, by some homeless skizophrenic, but rather by a man who is the Director of Harvard University's Shorenste

Getting the real story has been a problem for many years. The issue seems to be getting worse as time goes on and the traditional values of our media seem to have been eroded by both technology, advocacy journalism, and 'citizen journalists'. Alex Jones examines these issues and in the concluding chapter gives readers an idea how the media can be saved. Jones is described by many as a journalist's journalist, but he also writes well and inclusively enough that people outside the business can completely understand his thesis and supporting arguments. I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to read this volume. It's a book I am considering buying as gifts for family members and friends who are asking the same questions as I have been. Rebecca Kyle, December 2009

There's been a lot of noise about the "death of journalism," but this is one book that really clarifies the debate. Jones focuses our attention on what exactly is at stake -- how does quality journalism serve democracy? He builds his answer around the image of the "iron core" of news and analysis that informs civic life. We can do without advertising, we can live without dead tree journalism -- but we can't afford to lose the ability to scrutinize our institutions. Jones draws on his own extensive background in journalism, ranging from his own family's small-town papers to the New York Times. He is neither bedazzled by, nor dismissive of, the wonders of technology, but keeps going back to the all-important watchdog principle that is endangered by the glut of infotainment and consumer-oriented media. He provides a good, if guarded, overview of the various efforts (among foundations, etc.) to save traditional journalistic values, and shoots down some cherished myths of the "Golden Ages" of journalism, documenting how American journalism has not always lived up to its expectations. He does an especially good job weaving First Amendment history into his argument. All in all, a provocative, readable, and highly informed look at a news culture in crisis.

Alex Jones's "Losing the News" is troubling, important, and terrifically interesting. In the midst of the the present transformation of patterns that have been dominant in the media for a century, Jones's deepest concern is that the core information citizens and policymakers need for wise decisions will become less and less available. The most remarkable thing about this book is its superb story telling, which makes its analysis of central ethical and practical problems in the news business come vividly alive. And some of the best tales are are of the small town paper published for nearly a century by Jones's remarkable family in Tennessee. Fairminded, engaged with views that differ from his own, and wonderfully well-informed, Jones is a wise guide to the present crisis of the news business and to the innovations and the moral qualities that are needed for coping with it.