Democracy and the News

Journalism has plenty of failings, and while Columbia University sociology professor Gans is sure to point out many of them in this book, he also holds out hope for the profession's redemption. The esteemed social critic laments that disempowerment--both economic and political--has become""the normal state of the citizenry,"" with people thinking they have little control over much of anything these days. Journalism, says Gans, does little to help. Obsessed with profits and entertainment over the public-minded debate of issues, media outlets have sunk in Gans's esteem to where their reporters and anchors are seen as the moral equivalents of politicians and lawyers. Of course, these problems have been debated for decades; but Gans puts forward various suggestions for how both journalism and democracy in America may be improved, including increasing the diversity of newsrooms and strengthening the voice of citizen lobbies. It's a high-minded treatise and a welcome counterbalance to the constant cries of liberal bias in the media. It might be wishful thinking, though, to hope that Gans's prescriptions will have any effect on the behavior of today's media monoliths.