How the Cold War Broke the News
The Surprising Roots of Journalism's Decline
(Author) Barbie ZelizerMost of us would agree that American journalism has problems. Rushed reporting and thin coverage. Timidity in the face of adversity. Polarized perspectives and euphemistic language. Groupthink about complicated events. While much blame has been levelled at big tech, Barbie Zelizer traces the decline of American journalism to the Cold War. She makes the bold claim that Cold War-era practices are to blame for the state of journalism today, undermining a once-trusted media environment. This groundbreaking book shows how journalism’s current problems can be traced back to practices developed over half a century ago and demonstrates how they’ve continued to upend journalism, journalists and the news ever since. We all need a news environment that works. This book tells us why it doesn’t and offers a plan to make it better. If our news is better, so is our democracy. And if our democracy is better, we may be too.
Barbie Zelizer
Barbie Zelizer is a renowned media scholar known for her groundbreaking work in the field of journalism studies. Her most famous book, "Remembering to Forget: Holocaust Memory Through the Camera's Eye," examines the role of photography in shaping collective memory. Zelizer's writing is insightful, rigorous, and thought-provoking, making her a key figure in contemporary literature.