A passionate call for a renewed commitment to responsible broadcast journalism
As someone who has worked both as a broadcast reporter and a network executive, Bonnie Anderson has seen the good, the bad, and the ugly in the industry. In News Flash, she chronicles the decline of television journalism into infotainment. Using investigative reporting and personal memoir, Anderson illustrates how television journalism has been co-opted by bottom-line thinking that places more value on a telegenic face than on substantive reporting. She shows how, in the increasingly competitive world of network news, network executives— the real power in broadcast journalism— tend more and more to hail from the entertainment industry. They "cast" reporters based on their ability to "project credibility," consistently valuing good looks and youth over training and experience, and greenlight coverage only if they can be assured that it will appeal to advertiser-friendly demographics.
"News Flash shows how the ascendance of infotainment is ultimately disastrous both for the networks' bottom line and for democracy in America. Anderson instead offers a path that will both ensure the continuing relevance of network news and shore up democracy itself, enabling Americans to make well-informed decisions about how to exercise their rights and responsibilities as citizens.
Bonnie Anderson (Atlanta, GA) is a 27-year news veteran who has won seven Emmy Awards and been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. She began her career as a print reporter for the Miami Herald, the Miami News, and Gannett Newspapers, and later spent ten years at NBC and close to ten years at CNN, ultimately becoming a vice presidentof the CNN News Group. As president of Anderson Media Agency, Inc., she currently provides media training for executives, journalists, and other professionals.
