Frank Bertoldi <bertoldi@astro.Princeton.EDU> (06/21/91)
************************************************* * * * RECOMMENDED READING LIST FROM * * * * "F A I R" * * (Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting) * * * ************************************************* FAIR is a media watch organization offering well-documented criticism in an effort to correct media bias. In particular, FAIR scrutinizes media practices that slight public interest and minority viewpoints. FAIR seeks to invigorate the First Amendment by advocating for greater representation of public interest spokespersons in media forums. For more information on FAIR's activities, contract them at: 130 W. 25th Street, New York, NY 10001-0144 (212)633-6700, Fax (212)727-7668 This is their recommendend reading list: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Aronson, James. "The Press and the Cold War" Boston: Beacon Press, 1970. Shows key role of media in promoting Cold War stereotypes, myths and hatreds. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Bagdikian, Ben. "The Media Monopoly." Boston: Beacon Press, 1990 (3rd ed.) The classic study of concentrated corporate ownership and its impact on mass media. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Barnouw, Erik. "The Sponsor: Notes On A Modern Potentate." New York: Oxford University Press, 1987. Examines the influence of advertising on broadcast media. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Bennett, W. Lance. "News: The Politics Of Illusion" New York: Longman, 1988. Explores why, in a society with so much information, people are so confused about politics, and how media practices - not public apathy - are key to the dilemma. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Cross, Donna Woolflock. "Mediaspeak: How Television Makes Up Your Mind" New York: Mentor, 1983. A telling look at TV's wide range of manipulative techniques. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Cockburn, Alexander. "Corruptions Of Empire" London: Verso, 1988. A collection of essays by a gifted polemicist and media critic. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Diamond, Sara. "Spiritual Warfare: The Politics Of Christian Right" Boston: South End Press, 1989. Analyzes televangelists and right-wing religious broadcast media. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Entman, Robert M. "Democracy Without Citizens: Media and the Decay of American Politics" New York: Oxford University Press, 1989. A deft academic examination of how institutional patterns deprive us of a "free press." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Gans, Herbert. "Deciding What's News" New York: Vintage, 1980. A sociologist takes apart the functional criteria for what qualifies as "news." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Gitlin. Todd. "The Whole World Is Watching: Mass Media and the Making and Unmaking of the New Left" Berkeley: University of California Press, 1980. A study of how mass media catalyzed and eventually undermined the New Left movement of the 1960s. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Hallin, Daniel C. "Uncensored War" New York: Oxford University Press, 1986. The definitive history of the media's role in the escalation and demise of the U.S. war in Vietnam. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Herman, Edward S. and Brodhead, Frank. "The Rise and Fall of the Bulgarian Connection" New York: Sheridan Square Publications, 1986. A case study of free world disinformation and the shooting of Pope John Paul II. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Herman, Edward S. and Chomsky, Noam. "Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media" New York: Pantheon, 1988. A probing expose of biased reporting on human rights and foreign policy issues. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Hertsgaard, Mark. "On Bended Knee: The Press and the Reagan Presidency" New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 1988. The definitive work on U.S. media performance during the Reagan era. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Lee, Martin A. and Norman Solomon. "Unreliable Sources: A Guide to Detecting Bias In The Media" New York: Lyle Stuart, 1990. Examines the domination of news media by big government and big business. A vital handbook for seeing through biased coverage of a wide range of domestic and foreign policy issues. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Mander, Jerry. "Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television" New York: William Morrow, 1974. A provocative analysis of the destructive impact of television in our society. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - McClain, Leanita. "A Foot In Each World: Essays and Articles." Evanston, IL: Northwestern University Press, 1986. A wrenching book about modern racism, written by a young black editor at the Chicago Tribune before her suicide. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Miller, Mark Crispin. "Boxed In: The Culture of TV" Evanston, IL: Northwestern University Press, 1988. A witty and astute critique of the television medium in America. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Parenti, Michael. "Inventing Reality: The Politics of the Mass Media." New York: St. Martin's, 1986. A concise and insightful analysis of U.S. news media bias. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Peck, Abe. "Uncovering the Sixties: The Life and Times of the Underground Press" New York: Pantheon, 1985. A history of the role of the underground press in the 1960s, and its continuing legacy. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Rapping, Elayne. "The Looking Glass World of Nonfiction TV." Boston: South End Press, 1987. How mass culture -- news, sports, commercials, games shows -- promotes the ideological bias of media owners. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Schiller, Herbert I. "Culture Inc.: The Corporate Takeover of Public Expression" New York: Oxford University Press, 1989. Analyzes the corporate structure of mass communications and how it constrains expression in a wide range of news and entertainment media. See also Schiller's "The Mind Managers" Beacon Press, 1973. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Seldes, George. "Witness to a Century" New York: Ballantine, 1987. The dean of American media criticism reflects on eight decades of journalism. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Shaheen. Jack. "The TV Arab" Bowling Green, OH: Bowling Green State University Popular Press, 1984. A probing study of racial stereotyping in news and entertainment. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Stone. I.F. "The Haunted Sixties," In a Time of Torment," and "Polemics and Prophesies" Boston: Little, Brown, 1989. Three volume series of edited writings from an eminent media critic. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Washburn, Patrick S. "A Question of Sedition: The Federal Government's Investigation of the Black Press During World War II" New York: Oxford University Press, 1987. Documents official steps against the black press, including FBI efforts to stigmatize black reporters who protested discrimination. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To submit a book review, summary, or ad, contact Frank Bertoldi [bertoldi@astro.princeton.edu] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -