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Democracy and the News
American democracy was founded on the belief that ultimate power rests in an informed citizenry. But that belief appears naive in an era when private corporations manipulate public policy and the individual citizen is dwarfed by agencies, special interest groups, and other organizations that have a firm grasp on real political and economic power.
In Democracy and the News , one of America's most astute social critics explores the crucial link between a weakened news media and weakened democracy. Building on his 1979 classic media critique Deciding What's News , Herbert Gans shows how, with the advent of cable news networks, the internet, and a proliferation of other sources, the role of contemporary journalists has shrunk, as the audience for news moves away from major print and electronic media to smaller and smaller outlets. Gans argues that journalism also suffers from assembly-line modes of production, with the major product being publicity for the president and other top political officials, the very people citizens most distrust. In such an environment, investigative journalism--which could offer citizens the information they need to make intelligent critical choices on a range of difficult issues--cannot flourish. But Gans offers incisive suggestions about what the news media can do to recapture its role in American
society and what political and economic changes might move us closer to a true citizen's democracy.
Touching on questions of critical national importance, Democracy and the News sheds new light on the vital importance of a healthy news media for a healthy democracy.
In Democracy and the News , one of America's most astute social critics explores the crucial link between a weakened news media and weakened democracy. Building on his 1979 classic media critique Deciding What's News , Herbert Gans shows how, with the advent of cable news networks, the internet, and a proliferation of other sources, the role of contemporary journalists has shrunk, as the audience for news moves away from major print and electronic media to smaller and smaller outlets. Gans argues that journalism also suffers from assembly-line modes of production, with the major product being publicity for the president and other top political officials, the very people citizens most distrust. In such an environment, investigative journalism--which could offer citizens the information they need to make intelligent critical choices on a range of difficult issues--cannot flourish. But Gans offers incisive suggestions about what the news media can do to recapture its role in American
society and what political and economic changes might move us closer to a true citizen's democracy.
Touching on questions of critical national importance, Democracy and the News sheds new light on the vital importance of a healthy news media for a healthy democracy.
168 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
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About the author
Herbert J. Gans
38 books13 followersHerbert Julius Gans was a German-born American sociologist who taught at Columbia University from 1971 to 2007.
One of the most prolific and influential sociologists of his generation, Gans came to America in 1940 as a refugee from Nazi Germany and sometimes described his scholarly work as an immigrant's attempt to understand America. He trained in sociology at the University of Chicago, where he studied with David Riesman and Everett Hughes, among others, and in social planning at the University of Pennsylvania, where his dissertation was supervised by Martin Meyerson.
Herbert J. Gans served as the 79th President of the American Sociological Association.
One of the most prolific and influential sociologists of his generation, Gans came to America in 1940 as a refugee from Nazi Germany and sometimes described his scholarly work as an immigrant's attempt to understand America. He trained in sociology at the University of Chicago, where he studied with David Riesman and Everett Hughes, among others, and in social planning at the University of Pennsylvania, where his dissertation was supervised by Martin Meyerson.
Herbert J. Gans served as the 79th President of the American Sociological Association.
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October 19, 2009
Anyone interested in how the news industry can facilitate democracy need only read the last two chapters of this book. The rest is a big theoretical set-up that, while interesting, is highly tautological.
Gans argues that journalists could do a better job contributing to civic empowerment if not for the structural forces in the way. He asserts that the average citizen is disempowered by government and economy, yet he/she could become more empowered if he/she were better informed. He then argues that the media is equally disempowered. Therefore, the public service that should be journalism falls short.
In a lot of ways he is right but he does not account for the ways that technology has changed the profession. For example, he says that journalists spend most of their time interacting with sources and fellow journalists instead of with their audience. Not so anymore. Our social networks have made us far more accessible to our audience than ever before. Inevitably so. He also argues that the media does not have enough diversity and opinion. The Internet is also taking care of that. Additionally, he says that every news story needs to be localized, which is something we are all trying to figure out how to do since the Internet has globalized our industry.
Gans makes poignant suggestions for fundamental changes in journalism, all in the name of "civic democracy." It would be interesting to study if and how journalists have implemented his suggestions using the new media tools available.
Gans argues that journalists could do a better job contributing to civic empowerment if not for the structural forces in the way. He asserts that the average citizen is disempowered by government and economy, yet he/she could become more empowered if he/she were better informed. He then argues that the media is equally disempowered. Therefore, the public service that should be journalism falls short.
In a lot of ways he is right but he does not account for the ways that technology has changed the profession. For example, he says that journalists spend most of their time interacting with sources and fellow journalists instead of with their audience. Not so anymore. Our social networks have made us far more accessible to our audience than ever before. Inevitably so. He also argues that the media does not have enough diversity and opinion. The Internet is also taking care of that. Additionally, he says that every news story needs to be localized, which is something we are all trying to figure out how to do since the Internet has globalized our industry.
Gans makes poignant suggestions for fundamental changes in journalism, all in the name of "civic democracy." It would be interesting to study if and how journalists have implemented his suggestions using the new media tools available.
Displaying 1 of 1 review