Read on Twitter
Since I'm salty about journalists ignorance of their own field I'm going to start a tweet thread about journalism history books that I have read and will update as I keep reading.
I am not in anyway arguing that this list is comprehensive.
I am not in anyway arguing that this list is comprehensive.
Tragedy and Farce: How the American Media Sell Wars, Spin Elections, And Destroy Democracy
I read this book pre-journalism. It helped me understand the way the media inflamed the Iraq war, failed to ask critical q's and amplified fake govt messaging. https://thenewpress.com/books/tragedy-farce
I read this book pre-journalism. It helped me understand the way the media inflamed the Iraq war, failed to ask critical q's and amplified fake govt messaging. https://thenewpress.com/books/tragedy-farce
"The Girls in the Balcony: Women, Men, and the New York Times"
My first every press conference was at the National Press Conference where I would have been banned not too long ago. The book is of it's era (and kind of racist) but a time capsule. https://ew.com/article/1992/02/21/girls-balcony-women-men-and-new-york-times/
My first every press conference was at the National Press Conference where I would have been banned not too long ago. The book is of it's era (and kind of racist) but a time capsule. https://ew.com/article/1992/02/21/girls-balcony-women-men-and-new-york-times/
Buried by the Times
It's about how NYT didn't cover the holocaust. I started reading it when I was employed there, got about 1/3 of the way through and realized if I finished it I'd have to quit. So I stopped reading. https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/buried-by-the-times/DC0E0DE31DD1B25EDF6599A6B880F8ED
It's about how NYT didn't cover the holocaust. I started reading it when I was employed there, got about 1/3 of the way through and realized if I finished it I'd have to quit. So I stopped reading. https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/buried-by-the-times/DC0E0DE31DD1B25EDF6599A6B880F8ED
A bit before I quit, I said to a masthead editor that some historians were saying that the present moment was akin to the ramup that lead to the holocaust. I suggested that we look at coverage of that era to see missteps/positives.
I was told that "NYT didn't really cover it"
I was told that "NYT didn't really cover it"
That that itself was a problem didn't seem to be recognized. But also that OTHER publications (especially the Jewish presses did which would have provided a point of comparison was not raised).
I'm near sighted so I can say this: it was fucking myopic.
I'm near sighted so I can say this: it was fucking myopic.
I'm going to stop for the night partly because it's 2am and partly because I'm moving so a lot of my books are in boxes and I have pandemic memory so if I am not actively looking at a book I can't remember it.
I also read a lot of journalism "craft" books which are different.
I also read a lot of journalism "craft" books which are different.
Also if there are books I should read, LMK!
Also @elliepses has been curating a list for awhile https://twitter.com/elliepses/status/1272545268165218304?s=20
