The Wizards of Media Oz: Behind the Curtain of Mainstream News

by Norman Solomon, Jeff Cohen

Two journalists offer their views on the forces behind the mainstream news sources in the United States.

Genres: Nonfiction

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Norman Solomon is an American journalist, media critic, antiwar activist, and former candidate in 2012 for the United States House of Representatives.

Solomon is a longtime associate of the media watch group Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting (FAIR).

In 1997 he founded the Institute for Public Accuracy, which works to provide alternative sources for journalists, and served as its executive director until 2010.

Solomon's weekly column, "Media Beat", was in national syndication from 1992 to 2009.

Reviews

[Devin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Norman Solomon and Jeff Cohen (of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting) lay out the facts about the corporate media system and the everyday collusion with the American political machine in Wizards of Media Oz. Made up of dozens of articles written throughout the late 90's, there insights about the media seem even more relevant today. It's as if Solomon and Cohen (already sounding like a solid legal team) had a crystal ball to see the future state of American media. Through their tales of the media (which are both loaded with facts and laughts), you can see how the American media not only fails to report on the important issues of the day, but goes even further to work with politicians and think tanks to produce a skewed, often false, version of events to present to the American people. If you have any faith left in the corporate media system, read Wizards of Media Oz. Not only with you become more cynical about the media, but you'll have a lot of laughs along the way.

[Eliana Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

A concise and insightful look at the forces shaping mainstream news in the United States. The dual perspectives of two journalists make it engaging and thought-provoking, encouraging readers to question how news is created and presented. A must-read for anyone interested in media and critical thinking.