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That's the Way It Is: A History of Television News in America
When critics decry the current state of our public discourse, one reliably easy target is television news. It’s too dumbed-down, they say; it’s no longer news but entertainment, celebrity-obsessed and vapid. The critics may be right. But, as Charles L. Ponce de Leon explains in That’s the Way It Is, TV news has always walked a fine line between hard news and fluff. The familiar story of decline fails to acknowledge real changes in the media and Americans’ news-consuming habits, while also harking back to a golden age that, on closer examination, is revealed to be not so golden after all. Ponce de Leon traces the entire history of televised news, from the household names of the late 1940s and early ’50s, like Eric Sevareid, Edward R. Murrow, and Walter Cronkite, through the rise of cable, the political power of Fox News, and the satirical punch of Colbert and Stewart. He shows us an industry forever in transition, where newsmagazines and celebrity profiles vie with political news and serious investigations. The need for ratings success—and the lighter, human interest stories that can help bring it—Ponce de Leon makes clear, has always sat uneasily alongside a real desire to report hard news. Highlighting the contradictions and paradoxes at the heart of TV news, and telling a story rich in familiar figures and fascinating anecdotes, That’s the Way It Is will be the definitive account of how television has showed us our history as it happens.
- GenresHistoryNonfiction
331 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 4, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 18, 2025
Ponce de Leon, Charles L. That’s the Way It Is: A History of Television News in America. U of Chicago P, 2015.
The thesis of this book is that hard television news by elite professional journalists has never had the audience appeal to make it on its own in a competitive commercial environment. We were misled to think it did because for much of television history, viewers did not have much choice. The book offers a readable, if sobering, narrative. Given a choice, Ponce de Leon argues, American television viewers opt for infotainment over more intellectual news. The television news industry has existed, he says, in a cocoon of protection by network executives. By far the strongest discussions in the book are on the struggle for news and documentary programming on public television and the full history of CNN and its impact on the enterprise of television journalism. I wish that there were a bit more on the coverage of Vietnam and the Civil Rights Movement, but what the book does on these issues is solid as far as it goes. I hope there is a second edition in a year or two to discuss the impact of social media and the “fake news” debate.
The thesis of this book is that hard television news by elite professional journalists has never had the audience appeal to make it on its own in a competitive commercial environment. We were misled to think it did because for much of television history, viewers did not have much choice. The book offers a readable, if sobering, narrative. Given a choice, Ponce de Leon argues, American television viewers opt for infotainment over more intellectual news. The television news industry has existed, he says, in a cocoon of protection by network executives. By far the strongest discussions in the book are on the struggle for news and documentary programming on public television and the full history of CNN and its impact on the enterprise of television journalism. I wish that there were a bit more on the coverage of Vietnam and the Civil Rights Movement, but what the book does on these issues is solid as far as it goes. I hope there is a second edition in a year or two to discuss the impact of social media and the “fake news” debate.
March 22, 2019
"That's The Way It Is" is a fascinating history of television news that eschews, without completely abandoning, the typical theme of declinism. Ponce de Leon argues that TV news may never have actually hit the grand heights we imagine, noting that it was always buffeted by concerns of profit and FCC regulations. The network news model I grew up with largely still exists, having evolved from barebones stages populated by grave journalists telling us what we needed to know to today's version that tells us more of what we want to know, or at least news how we want to hear it. Along the way, TV news has been affected by changing cultural mores, political climate and the technology that introduced greater competition via both the multitude of cable channels that provided not just alternate sources of news but also a greater variety of entertainment options and the development of the internet.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in nearly any facet of late 20th century American history. Ponce de Leon's writing is always engaging, his analysis always nuanced.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in nearly any facet of late 20th century American history. Ponce de Leon's writing is always engaging, his analysis always nuanced.
February 20, 2021
As a Baby Boomer, I have lived through most of the evolution of broadcast news. I grew up getting my first news of the day via CBS RADIO’s World News Roundup at 8:00 am. My first news memory is of the collision of two airplanes above New York City, December 16, 1960, broadcast on the evening news, probably by Huntley-Brinkley.
This book gives us a wonderful look back on the early years of television news and the changes we have witnessed (but may not have noticed). Cable news has taken over with the 24/7 news cycle although I continue to watch network evening news.
One disappointment: while there was a glossing over on sports, there was virtually nothing about a major segment of local news: weather. We generally don’t look to the networks or cable news outlets for weather news unless a hurricane, tornado, or winter storm is wreaking havoc but The Weather Channel is a valuable resource not only for weather conditions but produces features that not only inform but entertain. For that omission
Five stars waning
This book gives us a wonderful look back on the early years of television news and the changes we have witnessed (but may not have noticed). Cable news has taken over with the 24/7 news cycle although I continue to watch network evening news.
One disappointment: while there was a glossing over on sports, there was virtually nothing about a major segment of local news: weather. We generally don’t look to the networks or cable news outlets for weather news unless a hurricane, tornado, or winter storm is wreaking havoc but The Weather Channel is a valuable resource not only for weather conditions but produces features that not only inform but entertain. For that omission
Five stars waning
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September 11, 2015Check out the AMA here! https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorian...
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June 15, 2025will be practicing my news anchor voice in the mirror with a lot more heart and soul from now on
September 28, 2025
This is a really good analysis of the development of television news up to about 2015, with all the twists and turns of this shrinking genre of journalism.
It starts in the late '40s, which is when television begins. It's an outgrowth of radio, of course, but has its own challenges, not the least of which was disdain from radio journalists.
Networks make room for news and fight with entertainment divisions for resources, etc. And that was the long story of news until the 21st century.
You learn about the big names, like Murrow and Cronkite and Rather, etc., and how the news idealism led to PBS. Then, it's Turner and O'Reilly and King and the birth of CNN. The switch to freewheeling cable news is an interesting turn with all-new challenges.
Suffice to say the book ends before the cable channels finally begin their clear cheerleading for one political side over the other. I would have liked to see an analysis of that.
Really good but a little slow at times.
It starts in the late '40s, which is when television begins. It's an outgrowth of radio, of course, but has its own challenges, not the least of which was disdain from radio journalists.
Networks make room for news and fight with entertainment divisions for resources, etc. And that was the long story of news until the 21st century.
You learn about the big names, like Murrow and Cronkite and Rather, etc., and how the news idealism led to PBS. Then, it's Turner and O'Reilly and King and the birth of CNN. The switch to freewheeling cable news is an interesting turn with all-new challenges.
Suffice to say the book ends before the cable channels finally begin their clear cheerleading for one political side over the other. I would have liked to see an analysis of that.
Really good but a little slow at times.
December 10, 2017
Good until a point
It does a pretty good job of describing its main point, which is that, no matter how much professional journalists may hate it, the news need to provide fluff pieces in order to maintain ratings, it doesn't focus too much on how the internet and social media affected the news. And it shows that the networks have moved towards using the internet, but that's pretty much it.
It does a pretty good job of describing its main point, which is that, no matter how much professional journalists may hate it, the news need to provide fluff pieces in order to maintain ratings, it doesn't focus too much on how the internet and social media affected the news. And it shows that the networks have moved towards using the internet, but that's pretty much it.
July 4, 2017
Very very informational book but had a very dry beginning simply due to the in depth examples of events and people from 50+ years ago. Overall a very well researched book over the history of television journalism with foreshadowing of the future.
March 28, 2025
Lost in the weeds
I’ve never almost given up on a book more times than this one. It got so stuck in the minutia so often. And it seemed to just give passing recognition to how news outlets handled the biggest stories of the 20th and 21st centuries..ie..JFK Assassination and 9-11.
I’ve never almost given up on a book more times than this one. It got so stuck in the minutia so often. And it seemed to just give passing recognition to how news outlets handled the biggest stories of the 20th and 21st centuries..ie..JFK Assassination and 9-11.
October 25, 2025
Pretty thorough overview of the history of TV news. Dragged a little in places, but generally interesting. Summed up pretty well why we need to go outside of TV to learn what is really going on in the world in depth.
May 5, 2019
A history of news from late radio through early TV and to current era.
Posits that news divisions in print, radio and television had to meet journalistic standards, but additionally needed to be an income-producing segment of the for-profit organizations that owned them. This continued to impact types of news covered. Changes in technology also impacted what was covered.
There was a time when journalists held more sway over public opinion, but "while market populism attacked the notion that television journalists should attempt to tell people what they ought to know, multiculturalism and postmodernism cut even deeper. They suggested that truth itself was contested and subjective...Skepticism of journalistic objectivity was widespread." p 209 of 318
Beginning in 1990s, "networks developed a new style of reporting that treats politics as if it were a game:...impact of reelections, ...partisan advantage." Book follows development of news magazines--hard news programs as well as those mixing lifestyle and news. Tabloid like programs and features began to be used as part of network news.
Tom Brokaw and NBC redesigned their program, conceived as a narrative with lead story, special segments and investigative reports. Networks began to expand into cable. And later into web-based programming. Fox News rose as an alternative to what was considered liberal press.
Expressing opinions became a draw for viewers (and listeners on radio). In rush to get stories out, insubstantial or incorrect sources led to retractions and undermining of belief in objectivity. Web-based news began to draw more people from cable and network news, and built niche platforms for news reporting.
p 238 of 318 "With Clinton-Lewinsky scandal, the line in the sand Richard Salant had sought to draw between news and entertainment"--blurred by O.J. Simpson coverage earlier--"was completely obliterated."
Author question "When it [TV news] was shaped entirely by the market...could it also be good journalism?"
The rise of the Internet in early 2000s as news and entertainment source, produced an exodus from TV, as TV had done to radio and other news formats in the 1950s.
Posits that news divisions in print, radio and television had to meet journalistic standards, but additionally needed to be an income-producing segment of the for-profit organizations that owned them. This continued to impact types of news covered. Changes in technology also impacted what was covered.
There was a time when journalists held more sway over public opinion, but "while market populism attacked the notion that television journalists should attempt to tell people what they ought to know, multiculturalism and postmodernism cut even deeper. They suggested that truth itself was contested and subjective...Skepticism of journalistic objectivity was widespread." p 209 of 318
Beginning in 1990s, "networks developed a new style of reporting that treats politics as if it were a game:...impact of reelections, ...partisan advantage." Book follows development of news magazines--hard news programs as well as those mixing lifestyle and news. Tabloid like programs and features began to be used as part of network news.
Tom Brokaw and NBC redesigned their program, conceived as a narrative with lead story, special segments and investigative reports. Networks began to expand into cable. And later into web-based programming. Fox News rose as an alternative to what was considered liberal press.
Expressing opinions became a draw for viewers (and listeners on radio). In rush to get stories out, insubstantial or incorrect sources led to retractions and undermining of belief in objectivity. Web-based news began to draw more people from cable and network news, and built niche platforms for news reporting.
p 238 of 318 "With Clinton-Lewinsky scandal, the line in the sand Richard Salant had sought to draw between news and entertainment"--blurred by O.J. Simpson coverage earlier--"was completely obliterated."
Author question "When it [TV news] was shaped entirely by the market...could it also be good journalism?"
The rise of the Internet in early 2000s as news and entertainment source, produced an exodus from TV, as TV had done to radio and other news formats in the 1950s.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews