American Journalism: History, Principles, Practices / Edition 1

by W. David Sloan, Lisa Mullikin Parcell

Overview

News consumers made cynical by sensationalist banners--"AMERICA STRIKES BACK," "THE TERROR OF ANTHRAX"--and lurid leads might be surprised to learn that in 1690, the newspaper Publick Occurrences gossiped about the sexual indiscretions of French royalty or seasoned the story of missing children by adding that "barbarous Indians were lurking about" before the disappearance. Surprising, too, might be the media's steady adherence to, if continual tugging at, its philosophical and ethical moorings.

These 39 essays, written and edited by the nation's leading professors of journalism, cover the theory and practice of print, radio, and TV news reporting. Politics and partisanship, press and the government, gender and the press corps, presidential coverage, war reportage, technology and news gathering, sensationalism: each subject is treated individually. Appropriate for interested lay persons, students, professors and reporters.

Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786413713
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	04/24/2002
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	384
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.77(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Author and editor of numerous books W. David Sloan is retired from teaching journalism at the University of Alabama. He lives in Northport, Alabama. Lisa Mullikin Parcell, is a professor of communication at Wichita State University.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Preface    

1. The Purposes of Journalism    
2. Politics and Partisanship   
3. The Press and Government   
4. Concepts of News   
5. Ethics   
6. Press Criticism   
7. Characteristics of Journalists    
8. Training and Education of Journalists   
9. Women in Journalism   
10. Publishers   
11. Economics, Business, and Financial Motivations   
12. Mergers, Chains, Monopoly, and Competition   
13. Freedom of the Press    
14. Press Rights and Laws   
15. News Gathering   
16. Cooperative News Gathering   
17. Coverage of Washington   
18. The Press and U.S. Presidents   
19. Coverage of Political Campaigns    
20. Coverage of Crime   
21. Coverage of Sports   
22. Investigative Journalism   
23. Reform Journalism, Exposés, and Crusading   
24. The Press and War   
25. War Coverage   
26. Foreign Correspondence   
27. Objectivity   
28. Sensationalism and Tabloidism   
29. Radio Journalism   
30. Television News   
31. News Writing Structure and Style   
32. Editorial Writing   
33. Newspaper Design   
34. Newspaper Illustrations   
35. Photojournalism   
36. Cartoons, Comics, and Caricature   
37. Technologies of News Gathering and Transmissio   
38. Printing Technologies   

Contributors    
Index    

Editorial Reviews

solid...comprehensive...excellent supplementary reading”—Choice; “39 essays, each providing a historical overview of an important aspect of journalism history”—Library Journal.

From the Publisher

"39 essays, each providing a historical overview of an important aspect of journalism history"

Library Journal

solid...comprehensive...excellent supplementary reading

Choice

These 38 original contributions aim to help journalists and students better appreciate the goals and development of their profession. The first essay reviews the purposes of the field since US colonial times. Sloan (journalism, U. of Alabama) discusses editorial writing. Parcell, a recent Ph.D. from the same campus, chronicles the history of newspaper illustrations sans examples. Other topics addressed include ethics, women in journalism, sensationalism, coverage of specific aspects of life, and relevant technologies. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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