Twilight of Press Freedom: The Rise of People's Journalism / Edition 1

by John C. Merrill, Peter J. Gade, Frederick R. Blevens

Overview

This volume offers a historical, philosophical, and practical critique of public and civic journalism—a movement that gained momentum in the final decade of the 20th century. During that period, proponents of the movement have published nearly a dozen books expanding upon and expounding the virtues of journalism, seeking to repair what is thought to be the torn social, political, and moral fabric in America. Although previous works have established a strong practical underpinning for public and civic journalism, none has examined its philosophical roots or challenged its methodology and grounding in neoliberal constructs. This volume does just that, tracing its origins in early philosophy to the current newsroom policies and practices that conflict with traditional constructs in libertarian press theory.

Twilight of Press Freedom postulates that institutionalized journalism is fading away and world journalism—prompted by the people—is veering toward more order and social harmony, and away from the traditional idea of the great value of press freedom. The volume provides a critical examination of the trend toward public journalism and considers how press freedom will be impacted by this trend in coming years. Scholars and students in journalism, public opinion, and media studies will find this book insightful and invaluable.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780805836646
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	04/01/2001
Series:	Routledge Communication Series
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	244
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

John C. Merrill, Peter J. Gade, Frederick R. Blevens

Table of Contents

Contents: E.E. Dennis, Foreword. Preface. Introduction: A New Spirit of Community. The Sunrise of Freedom. Freedom From Freedom. Order Out of Chaos. The Communitarian Alternative. Anticipating Community. Rise of Public Journalism. Talking Public Journalism. Practicing Public Journalism. The Waning of Press Autonomy. Epilogue: A Brief View Into the Future.

Editorial Reviews

"For those still struggling with what public journalism is all about, this book offers the context and plenty of fodder for debate about the course of journalism in America....Twilight of the Press should be on a short list of titles necessary for those wanting to understand the idea of journalism."
—Journalism History

From the Publisher