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Words & Reflections
ness has weakened news operations.
More importantly, in many instances,
quality of content and civic concern
are sacrificed in the quest for high
profit margins. But as this book points
out, places still exist in large and small
communities where there are opportunities
to practice quality journalism.
And the authors document how topnotch
news operations can also be good
for the company’s bottom line.
The arguments presented in “The
News About the News” aren’t idealistic.
After all, the authors work for a
news organization that places great
emphasis on strong economic performance.
And they aren’t naive. Throughout
the book, Downie and Kaiser acknowledge
that “journalism won’t exist
without financial support—someone
has to pay the journalists and the expenses
of gathering news.” They also
make the point, by offering strong examples
and frank testimony, that the
evolving “show Wall Street the money”
attitude of corporate owners has altered
the jobs (and outlook) of people
most responsible for the quality of journalism
in news organizations. Instead
of the laser-like focus on tough, accurate
reporting and good writing, newsroom
leaders are forced to divert their
attention to financial considerations.
“Newspaper editors and television
news directors … have been held more
accountable for controlling costs and
increasing profits than for improving
the quality of their journalism,” Downie
and Kaiser observe. They point particularly
to newspaper chains Knight
Ridder and Gannett and to corporations
that own networks and local stations
such as General Electric and
Disney.
The authors try to be optimistic
about the future of newspapers and
the Internet as places where good journalism
can flourish. They also look
with a hopeful eye at the prospects for
broadcast journalism but, in this attempt,
they aren’t as convincing. (Perhaps
this is because the authors have
made their careers in newspapers.)
Take this example from their look at
broadcast news: “Heather Nauert had
only her blond, youthful good looks
and a sincere desire to become a television
star when she joined the world
Instead of the laser-like focus on tough,
accurate reporting and good writing,
newsroom leaders are forced to divert their
attention to financial considerations.
original and more effective ways. These
aspects of the role of new media receive
thorough examination. But the
authors fail to discuss another area in
which the Internet is having a critical
impact on journalism by changing the
ways in which reporters find information,
reach sources, and report the
news. Questions about this are left
unaddressed. It would have been good
to hear the authors’ views on whether
easier and increased access to information
through technology (no matter
where the journalist might be) is making
news coverage more competitive,
accurate and complete. Or whether it
gives reporters the ability to present
broader perspectives. Perhaps such
topics can be covered in a future edition.
Kaiser and Downie make a strong
effort to highlight examples of best
practices. These illustrate how quality
news can flourish. And in doing this,
they don’t restrict themselves to large
metropolitan and national papers. At
times, however, the book seems to
become almost too clinical in its examination.
What is missing are examples
of the passion that people contribute
to creating great news
organizations, large and small, an attribute
the authors know good journalism
requires. Finding that passion,
providing an environment where it is
appropriately focused and nurtured,
might be critical ingredients in keeping
newspapers, news magazines,
broadcast news outlets, and evolving
Internet news operations economically
strong and vital contributors to our
civic strength in the 21st century. ■
of talkers on the Fox News Channel,”
they write. “… What were the thirtyyear-old’s
qualifications? ‘When I first
saw her I thought Heather was our
demographic, that she could bring in
younger people,’ Fox News executive
producer Bill Skine said. ‘When you
have a pundit who is young, and knows
what they’re talking about, they exude
more energy.’”
The Internet is emerging as a place
where people can find news. And it is
also a place where media organizations
are looking to present news in
Seth Effron, a 1992 Nieman Fellow,
is special projects director at the
Nieman Foundation.
effron@fas.harvard.edu
94 Nieman Reports / Winter 2002