by Ken Auletta
First published 2004
American journalism faces a crisis of identity. The industry claims to serve the public while operating as a business, but corporate consolidation and instant cable opinions threaten its ideals. Ken Auletta investigates why this vital industry struggles so deeply. He examines the New York Times, where family ownership battles internal personnel scandals. He explores New York's tabloid wars and visits Tribune Company properties where synergy drives decisions. Auletta questions journalists who become media celebrities, earning speaking fees and appearing on talk shows. He traces journalism's evolution from failed ventures like Inside.com to Roger Ailes's successful Fox News operation. Drawing from over a decade covering media for The New Yorker, Auletta reveals the moral complexities facing modern news organizations. His investigation spans traditional newspapers, cable networks, and digital experiments to understand journalism's uncertain future.
Genres: american, non-fiction, 21st-century, journalism
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: industry-analysis, investigative-reporting
Setting: New York, Tribune Company
Period: 21st-century
368 pages · Paperback · Penguin Publishing Group