Don't Stop the Presses: Truth, Justice, and the American Newspaper

by Patt Morrison

Real News on real paper. Newspapers―a free press―were the cornerstone of the Founding Fathers’ working model of democracy. And they remain so. Whether read at the kitchen table, in the boardroom, or on a laptop on the subway, newspapers―as has been said of them for more than a half-century―are “the first draft of history.” Veteran journalist Patt Morrison proves it, and then some, in the pages of Don’t Stop the Presses! Truth, Justice, and the American Newspaper. Morrison showcases the importance of newspapers―in both words and startling imagery―and documents the impact of the medium. The press’s mission―as Morrison emphasizes―is uniquely set out in the First Amendment of the Bill of “Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.” From the broadsheets of the American Revolution to the computer displays of the electronic revolution, from the age of street-corner newsboys in the days of the Hearsts and Pulitzers to the advent of legitimate online news sites, newspapers are the voices of a nation. Morrison’s wit and remarkable journalistic wisdom are amplified by the histories of the papers, people, places, and events that captivated America and its front pages. Images and vivid anecdotes from the nation's two-plus centuries of newspapering enhance the story in words. More than 200 images present the visual side of Morrison’s remarkable story. In his eloquent foreword, Dean Baquet, executive editor of The New York Times , sees the role of newspapers as nothing short of a moral and democratic “It has never been more evident than in this year, when the glories of journalism have been on display, when the newsrooms Patt Morrison’s timely book summons to mind woke up to find themselves once again vital to Democracy.” There is one overwhelming message in Morrison’s Don’t Stop the Presses! Patt Morrison has a share of two Pulitzer Prizes as a longtime Los Angeles Times writer and columnist. As a public television and radio broadcaster, she has won six Emmys and a dozen Golden Mike awards. Her first book, Rio LA , about the Los Angeles River, was a best-seller. The renowned Hollywood hot dog stand, Pink’s, named its vegetarian dog in her honor. "Newspapers are the lifeblood of democracy, whether printed on paper or in cyberspace. They are crafted through reporting, fact-checking, and skillful prose, and they inform, educate, and entertain, as they’ve done since the founding of our republic and will continue to do for centuries to come. Patt Morrison takes us on a journey that will surprise readers, engage and thrill them, and encourage all of us to shout out in praise of the women and men who keep the presses going." ―Ken Burns, renowned documentarian

Genres: Nonfiction

176 pages, Hardcover

Published April 21, 2018

Reviews

[LAPL Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Like any other reader, presidents tend to like newspapers when they think they side with them, and fume when they don’t. They may hate the press, but they know they need the press--and then they hate the fact that they do," states Patt Morrison in her new book. She knows what she is talking about, having an unassailable knowledge about newspapers and journalism, and as an experienced journalist for several decades.

Some 20 years ago newspapers struggled economically to survive, and re-examined assignments for journalists and photojournalists, especially those who covered overseas assignments. Vying with other forms of news, 24/7 television and the internet, and the growing presence of social media, hard copy newsprint needed to justify its existence.

Morrison presents an overview history of U.S. newspapers: their importance at a time when they were the only means of supplying the public with current information; the large family-owned publishing houses, and their landmark architectural buildings; the comic sections; reporting popular culture; "the unheard voices and unseen faces" of women and minorities; sensationalistic reporting in order to sell papers, and to promote certain economic/political/social points of view; documentation of the inherent dangers of the profession, covering wars and uncovering controversial information; and fun facts, items and memorabilia.

Reporters and journalists are more important than ever. Throughout this book, Morrison addresses freedom of speech, freedom of the press, the journalist's creed to inquire, to thoroughly and obsessively investigate and document news events. She quotes a Texas newspaperman and United Press war correspondent, who had definitive thoughts about the press and democracy, long before he became the most trusted man in America. According to Walter Cronkite, this is the way it is,

"A democracy ceases to be a democracy if its citizens do not participate in its governance. To participate intelligently, they must know what their government has done, is doing and plans to do in their name ...This is the meaning of freedom of the press. It is not just important to democracy; it is democracy."

Readers should not be misled by what appears to be a decorative coffee table book. There is a great deal of well-documented information, supplemented by illustrations and photographs, and overall book design by artist Amy Inouye. The work of Patt Morrison is not to be missed, in print or in person. Her knowledge, insight and wit were evident in a recent appearance at Central Library. She writes for the Los Angeles Times, can be heard as a guest on KPPC, and interviewing others at her Patt Morrison Asks website.

Reviewed by Sheryn Morris, Librarian, Central Library