A Force for Good: How the American News Media Have Propelled Positive Change

America's news media are relentlessly criticized as too negative, sensationalistic, profit-oriented, and biased, not to mention unpatriotic and a miserable failure at reflecting the nation's diversity. Rodger Streitmatter makes clear that although much of the criticism is deserved, it obscures the fact that news outlets have also made--and continue to make--many positive contributions to the country's well-being. A Force for Good: How the American News Media Have Propelled Positive Change offers a compelling account of the Fourth Estate's efforts to improve U.S. society. Whether documenting the appalling conditions in mental institutions, exposing financial shenanigans and sex-abuse scandals, or championing an obscure pill as a form of contraception, Streitmatter argues, print and broadcast journalists have propelled significant social topics onto the public agenda and helped build support for change. This text draws on both historical and contemporary examples from a wide range of social contexts; the result is a fascinating tour of American history, social change, and the benefits of a robust media.

Author: Rodger Streitmatter
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Published: 03/19/2015
Pages: 246
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.80lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.50d
ISBN: 9781442245112


Review Citation(s):
Choice 09/01/2015

About the Author
Rodger Streitmatter is professor of journalism at American University. A journalist and historian, he is the author of several books and has contributed to numerous popular and scholarly periodicals, including The Washington Post, The Advocate, Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, and American Journalism. In 1995, he was honored as American University's Scholar/Teacher of the Year; he received the Roy F. Aarons Award from the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) in 2010.