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"The free press cannot be free," Robert Entman asserts. "Inevitably, it is dependent." In this penetrating critique of American journalism and the political process, Entman identifies a "vicious circle of interdependence" as the key dilemma facing reporters and editors. To become sophisticated citizens, he argues, Americans need high-quality, independent political journalism; yet, to stay in business while producing such journalism, news organizations would need an audience of sophisticated citizens. As Entman shows, there is no easy way out of this dilemma, which has encouraged the decay of democratic citizenship as well as the media's continuing failure to live up to their own highest ideals. Addressing widespread despair over the degeneration of presidential campaigns, Entman argues that the media system virtually compels politicians to practice demagoguery. Entman confronts a provocative array of issues: how the media's reliance on elite groups and individuals for information inevitably slants the news, despite adherence to objectivity standards; why the media hold government accountable for its worst errors--such as scandals and foreign misadventures--only after it's too late to prevent them; how the interdependence of the media and their audience molds public opinion in ways neither group alone can control; why greater media competition does not necessarily mean better journalism; why the abolition of the FCC's Fairness Doctrine could make things worse. Entman sheds fascinating light on important news events of the past decade. He compares, for example, coverage of the failed hostage rescue in 1980, which subjected President Carter to a barrage of criticism, with coverage of the 1983 bombing that killed 241 Marines in Lebanon, an incident in which President Reagan largely escaped blame. He shows how various factors unrelated to the reality of the events themselves--the apparent popularity of Reagan and unpopularity of Carter, differences in the way the Presidents publicly framed the incidents, the potent symbols skillfully manipulated by Reagan's but not by Carter's news managers--produced two very different kinds of reportage. Entman concludes with some thoughtful suggestions for improvement. Chiefly, he proposes the creation of subsidized, party-based news outlets as a way of promoting new modes of news gathering and analysis, of spurring the established media to more innovative coverage, and of increasing political awareness and participation. Such suggestions, along with the author's probing media criticisms, make this book essential reading for anyone concerned about the state of democracy in America.

32.019.51 --- Government and the press --- -Journalism --- -Political participation --- -Public opinion --- -#SBIB:309H1016 --- #SBIB:309H1025 --- #SBIB:324H30 --- #SBIB:309H271 --- Writing (Authorship) --- Literature --- Publicity --- Opinion, Public --- Perception, Public --- Popular opinion --- Public perception --- Public perceptions --- Judgment --- Social psychology --- Attitude (Psychology) --- Focus groups --- Reputation --- Citizen participation --- Community action --- Community involvement --- Community participation --- Involvement, Community --- Mass political behavior --- Participation, Citizen --- Participation, Community --- Participation, Political --- Political activity --- Political behavior --- Political rights --- Social participation --- Political activists --- Politics, Practical --- Press --- Press and government --- Press policy --- State and the press --- Freedom of the press --- Press and politics --- Massacommunicatie. Opinievorming. Politieke beinvloeding. Politieke manipulatie. Propaganda --- Political aspects --- -Objectivity --- -Media: socio-culturele aspecten (massamedia en maatschappij, met inbegrip van cultuurhistorische werken en werken over de maatschappelijke en politieke effecten van de (diverse) media) --- Mediaboodschappen met een informatieve functie --- Politieke cultuur --- Politieke communicatie: toepassingsgebieden --- Government policy --- United States --- Politics and government --- -32.019.51 --- 32.019.51 Massacommunicatie. Opinievorming. Politieke beinvloeding. Politieke manipulatie. Propaganda --- Journalism --- Political participation --- Public opinion --- Objectivity --- U.S.A. --- Jungtinės Amerikos valstybės --- Soedinennye Shtaty Si︠e︡vernoĭ Ameriki --- Soedinennye Shtaty Severnoĭ Ameriki --- Si︠e︡vero-Amerikanskīe Soedinennye Shtaty --- Severo-Amerikanskie Soedinennye Shtaty --- Zlucheni Derz︠h︡avy --- USA --- US --- Arhab --- Ar. ha-B. --- Artsot ha-Berit --- ولايات المتحدة الامريكية --- Wilāyāt al-Muttaḥidah al-Amirīkīyah --- ABSh --- Amerika Birlăshmish Shtatlary --- ABŞ --- Amerika Birlăşmi Ştatları --- Forente stater --- Spojené staty americké --- Severo-Amerikanskie Shtaty --- Sjedinjene Američke Države --- Zʹi︠e︡dnani Derz︠h︡avy Ameryky --- Amerikai Egyesült Államok --- Yhdysvallat --- Verenigde Staten --- Egyesült Államok --- Hiwsisayin Amerikayi Miatsʻeal Tērutʻiwnkʻ --- Estados Unidos de América --- United States of America --- Fareyniḳṭe Shṭaṭn --- Artzois Ha'bris --- Estados Unidos da América do Norte --- SShA --- Soedinennye Shtaty Ameriki --- VSA --- États-Unis d'Amérique --- Vereinigte Staaten von Amerika --- Stati Uniti d'America --- Estados Unidos --- EE.UU. --- Stany Zjednoczone --- ĒPA --- Amerika Qūrama Shtattary --- Amerika Qŭshma Shtatlari --- SAD --- Saharat ʻAmērikā --- Hēnomenai Politeiai Amerikēs --- ZSA --- Mei-kuo --- Meiguo --- Mei guo --- ZDA --- Združene države Amerike --- U.S. --- America (Republic) --- Amirika Carékat --- Verenigde State van Amerika --- VS --- ولايات المتحدة --- Wilāyāt al-Muttaḥidah --- ولايات المتّحدة الأمريكيّة --- Wilāyāt al-Muttaḥidah al-Amrīkīyah --- Estatos Unitos --- Estatos Unitos d'America --- Ètats-Unis d'Amèrica --- Estaos Xuníos d'América --- Estaos Xuníos --- Tetã peteĩ reko Amérikagua --- Istadus Unidus --- Amerika Birlăşmiş Ştatları --- Amerika ka Kelenyalen Jamanaw --- Bí-kok --- Amerika Qushma Shtattary --- AQSh --- Злучаныя Штаты Амерыкі --- Zluchanyi︠a︡ Shtaty Ameryki --- Yunaeted Stet blong Amerika --- Yunaeted Stet --- Vaeinigte Staatn --- Vaeinigte Staatn vo Amerika --- Stadoù-Unanet Amerika --- Sŭedineni amerikanski shtati --- САЩ --- SASht --- Съединените щати --- Sŭedinenite shtati --- Америка (Republic) --- Amerika (Republic) --- Estats Units d'Amèrica --- Америкӑри Пӗрлешӳллӗ Штатсем --- Amerikări Pĕrleshu̇llĕ Shtatsem --- Stati Uniti --- SUA (Stati Uniti d'America) --- Unol Daleithiau America --- Unol Daleithiau --- Amerikas Forenede Stater --- Vereinigte Staaten --- Wááshindoon Bikéyah Ałhidadiidzooígíí --- Zjadnośone staty Ameriki --- Ameerika Ühendriigid --- Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες της Αμερικής --- Hēnōmenes Politeies tēs Amerikēs --- Η.Π.Α. --- Ē.P.A. --- Usono --- Unuiĝintaj Ŝtatoj de Ameriko --- Американь Вейтьсэндявкс Штаттнэ --- Amerikanʹ Veĭtʹsėndi︠a︡vks Shtattnė --- Ameriketako Estatu Batuak --- Feriene Steaten --- Feriene Steaten fan Amearika --- FS --- Stâts Unîts di Americhe --- Stâts Unîts --- Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá --- Steatyn Unnaneysit America --- Steatyn Unnaneysit --- S.U.A. --- Na Stàitean Aonaichte --- NSA --- Mî-koet --- 미국 --- Miguk --- Amerikayi Miatsʻyal Nahangner --- Miatsʻyal Nahangner --- -Government and the press --- #SBIB:309H1016 --- Media: socio-culturele aspecten (massamedia en maatschappij, met inbegrip van cultuurhistorische werken en werken over de maatschappelijke en politieke effecten van de (diverse) media) --- 1981-1989 --- Journalism - Political aspects - United States. --- Journalism - United States - Objectivity. --- Government and the press - United States. --- Political participation - United States. --- Public opinion - United States. --- United States - Politics and government - 1981