-- New York Times Book Review

In the "Year of Simpson", the country was caught in the throes of the biggest story ever. No other single news event in our history could match the sheer scope and intensity of coverage given to the O.J. Simpson murder case. But the media did not just report the Simpson case, they were instrumental in creating it - a spectacle of such stupendous proportions that it "hijacked" American culture. In this critical expose of American media, Thaler presents a riveting narrative about the men and women who gave us the story of the century. It is a tale of the media grappling with their role as news-reporting entities; seduced by the values of entertainment and tabloidism; and faced with increased competition, fragmented audiences, and frantic pressure to keep both eyes on the bottom line.

Addressing the controversial issues of the blurring boundaries between news and entertainment and the movement toward sensationalism in broadcast journalism, this study examines these distinctions: how boundaries are constructed and by whom; how they are enforced or broken and why. Rather than reflecting essential attributes by which news can be distinguished from other kinds of communication, "boundary setting" is viewed as a social construction, determined and changed by journalists wishing to assert their jurisdiction and authority and the prestige of the profession. Four instances of "boundary-work rhetoric" are examined in depth: (1) the development of roles and "rules" of television journalism during the early years of television; (2) attempts at Congressional and FTC regulation--broadcasting codes defining "bona fide" news; (3) responses to a 1992 journalistic scandal over a "Dateline NBC" story on exploding GM pickup trucks, and (4) reporting sex scandals during recent political campaigns, such as the allegations of Gennifer Flowers of her involvement with Bill Clinton. In these and other cases, journalists developed strategies to minimize harm to the profession.

News and Journalism in the UK is an accessible and comprehensive introduction to the political, economic and regulatory environments of press and broadcast journalism in Britain and Northern Ireland.Surveying the industry in a period of radical economic and technological change, Brian McNair examines the main trends in journalistic media in the last two decades and assesses the challenges and future of the industry in the new millennium.Integrating both academic and journalistic perspectives on journalism, topics addressed in this revised and updated edition include:*'tabloidization', Americanisation and the supposed 'dumbing down' of journalistic standards*changing work patterns and the feminization of journalism*trends in media ownership and editorial allegiances*the impact of technological innovations such as digitalization, online media and 24 hour news*the implications of devolution for regional journalists.

Media Ethics brings together philosophers, academics and media professionals to debate pressing ethical and moral questions for journalists and the media and to examine basic notions such as truth, virtue, privacy, rights, offence, harm and freedom which are used in answering them.