The More You Watch the Less You Know

Although his book is supposed to be a critique of the television industry, in reality it is the autobiography of Schechter. And as a combination of the two it is often informative, and sometimes hilarious. Schechter got his start working at the counter-culture WBCN Radio in Boston. He tells laugh-out-loud stories about his confrontations with the FBI and the ""humiliating"" experience of seeing his FBI file--which referred to him as ""amusing, good-natured and happy."" He recalls his time as a Nieman Fellow and his confrontation with Henry Kissinger, whom he accused of killing six million people in Indochina. Schechter recalls losing his job as a producer at WCVB-TV when a song called ""Butt F---"" was aired; working at Ted Turner's fledging CNN; and his time at the ABC (""Always Be Conservative"") Network. He laments the ""Howardization"" of radio by shock-jocks Howard Stern and Don Imus and the ""collusion"" he ascribes to politicians and the press. There are also unflattering profiles of Barbara Walters, Roone Arledge and Ted Koppel. This is a sophisticated, irreverent look at television that will make readers wince--and laugh. Photos not seen by PW. (Sept.)