Reimagining Journalism in a Post-Truth World: How Late-Night Comedians, Internet Trolls, and Savvy Reporters Are Transforming News

by Ed Madison, Ben DeJarnette, Frank Sesno (Foreword by)

Overview

Amidst "alternative facts" and "post-truth" politics, news jourbanalism is more important and complex than ever. This book examines jourbanalism's evolution within digital media's ecosystem where lies often spread faster than truth, and consumers expect conversations, not lectures.

Tthe 2016 U.S. presidential election delivered a stunning result, but the news media's breathless coverage of it was no surprise. News networks turbaned debates into primetime entertainment, reporters spent more time covering poll results than public policy issues, and the cozy relationship between jourbanalists and political insiders helped ensure intrigue and ratings, even as it eroded jourbanalism's role as democracy's "Fourth Estate." Against this sobering backdrop, a broadcast news veteran and a millennial newshound consider how jourbanalism can regain the public's trust by learning from pioneers both within and beyond the profession. Connecting the dots between faux news, "fake news," and real news, coauthors Madison and DeJarnette provide an unflinching analysis of where mainstream jourbanalism went wrong—and what the next generation of reporters can do to make it right.

The significance of Donald Trump's presidency is not lost on the authors, but Reimagining Jourbanalism in a Post-Truth World is not a post-mortem of the 2016 presidential election, nor is it a how-to guide for reporting on Trump's White House. Instead, this accessible and engaging book offers a broader perspective on contemporary jourbanalism, pairing lively anecdotes with insightful analysis of long-term trends and challenges. Drawing on their expertise in media innovation and entrepreneurship, the authors explore how comedians like John Oliver, Trevor Noah, and Samantha Bee are breaking (and reshaping) the rules of political jourbanalism; how legacy media outlets like The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, and The New York Times are retooling for the digital age; and how newcomers like Vice, Hearken, and De Correspondent are innovating new models for reporting and storytelling. Anyone seeking to make sense of modern jourbanalism and its intersections with democracy will want to read this book.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781440854767
Publisher:	ABC-CLIO, Incorporated
Publication date:	02/08/2018
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	193
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Ed Madison, PhD, is assistant professor at the University of Oregon School of Jourbanalism and Communication in Eugene, OR.

Ben DeJarnette is an engagement strategist and freelance jourbanalist.

Table of Contents

Foreword Frank Sesno ix

Preface xiii

Acknowledgments xv

Introduction: How Journalism Became a Dirty Word 1

Chapter 1 Reimagining Truth: Comedians, Fake News, and the Fate of "Objectivity" 27

Chapter 2 Reimagining Trust: Engaged Journalism, Open Reporting, and Listening to the Public 49

Chapter 3 Reimagining Reach: VICE, Snapchat, and Journalism's Quest for Digital-Native News Consumers 69

Chapter 4 Reimagining Revenue: Paywalls, Crowdfunding, and the End of the Advertising Age 97

Chapter 5 Reimagining What's Next: Enduring Questions for the Future of Journalism 113

Notes 139

Index 179

What People are Saying About This

Michael D. Bolden

“Fake news, declining trust in institutions, eroding business models—journalism faces challenges from every quarter, but the need for accurate news and information to cut through the noise and enlighten the public is essential for our democracy. The deep research of Reimagining Journalism in a Post-Truth World provides illuminating context for understanding the obstacles confronting the industry and assembles a foundation of useful ideas that may help lift journalism, and our society, into a better future.”

Mark Glaser

“We are at a critical time when it comes to trust in media—or lack thereof—and Reimagining Journalism comes along at the right time. It’s a tough look at our current predicament, with news media being attacked by the president, and with more power wielded by social networks like Facebook. The authors’ focus on solutions and people who stand out is the right way to tackle this massive issue, and they do a great job pointing us to a better future.”

Jake Batsell

“Reimagining Journalism in a Post-Truth World is an impressively comprehensive overview of the news industry’s challenges and opportunities in a sharply divided America. The book compellingly argues that journalists must champion the truth and actively demonstrate their value to a skeptical public if the Fourth Estate hopes to fulfill its mission as a public good in the digital age.”

Melanie Sill

“Amid the change that has become media’s only constant, Ed Madison and Ben DeJarnette offer journalism’s champions a chance to consider what’s been won and lost in the internet revolution—and what lessons mean most. Their take offers critical context on trends that blossomed and died, theories that dominated and receded and—beyond the flash—innovation with real promise. In considering fundamental purpose as well as financial reality, the authors amplify the central and urgent question of how journalism can succeed and thrive best: by connecting directly with the public it aims to serve.”

Robert W. McChesney

"That journalism in the United States and worldwide is in a deep and seemingly worsening crisis is becoming increasingly clear. The business model of commercial journalism is in its death throes, yet societies desperately need this grand public good if any semblance of democracy or freedom is to survive. Reimagining Journalism in a Post-Truth World is a hearty attempt to take stock of the swirling changes, make the best of a very bad situation, and rethink journalism by reconfiguring the existing cast of characters, institutions, and options. It is a necessary contribution to a larger conversation our entire society, not just the journalism community, needs to have. The sooner, the better.”

Jan Schaffer

“This refreshing look at journalism’s current quandaries is a concise chronicle of the anti-media, anti-fact world journalism must now navigate. More than bemoan how fake news and political propaganda are impersonating journalism, the authors offer solutions that need to be more seriously embraced than past journalism reform efforts.”

Diane Gayeski

“This book is an extraordinary collection of critical commentary, careful documentation, and imaginative predictions about journalism. In an era when journalism as a profession is being challenged by political leaders, citizen reporters, comedians, and academics, the authors create a platform to step back and re-think its role in society.”