Merchants of Truth by Jill Abramson review – journalism’s troubles

A former editor of the New York Times takes an unsparing look at the decline of US journalismThis book about the commercial takeover of the news business is sure to make a lot of powerful people very angry. Jill Abramson takes an unsparing look at US journalism’s moral decline; as former executive editor of the New York Times, she is someone who knows where most of the bodies are buried and is prepared to draw the reader a detailed map. Names are named, mistakes are exposed, and the writing is unforgiving and unadorned, as befits a woman with “balls like iron cantaloupes”, as one veteran journalist tells her. It is a cracking read, and a complicated one, flawed in many places yet absorbing in its frank desire to hold journalism to account for becoming overly willing to sell out to advertisers and thereby endangering its own future.Abramson compares four media organisations: the New York Times; its longtime rival the Washington Post; BuzzFeed; and Vice. These last two digital media companies, born of early viral content and gonzo reporting, are often the madcap foils to the gravitas of the Times and Post – though by the end it’s clear that all four are closer to each other than they may think. In fact, both the digital and traditional publications have shown great adaptability; BuzzFeed and Vice have unquestionably succeeded, in a short time, in producing compelling journalism, even in Abramson’s telling. As well as a Pulitzer nomination, both have won highly respected... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2019-01-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #media organisations #longtime rival

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A devastating COVID surge takes a fresh toll on Indian journalism

More than a year into the global pandemic, the coronavirus has exploded across India. The spread has been fueled, in part, by possible new variants and the recent holding of mass public events, including political rallies and religious celebrations; vaccination rates, meanwhile, remain low, even... Continue reading at Columbia Journalism Review

[ Columbia Journalism Review | 2021-04-27 12:34:53 UTC ]
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A Very Bad Poem From the Book Review Archives

As we scour the past issues of the Book Review on its 125th anniversary, we have come across a lot of commissioned poetry — including this interesting specimen. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2021-04-23 15:47:00 UTC ]
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Gina Frangello: Truth and Consequences

The author of the memoir Blow Your House Down talks about secrecy, accountability, and resisting happy endings. Continue reading at Guernica

[ Guernica | 2021-04-19 13:00:21 UTC ]
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New York Times's Book Review Podcast Celebrates 15 Years

‘The Book Review’ podcast began as a brief show with a rebellious touch. It became a forum for some of the biggest names in literature. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2021-04-15 13:38:51 UTC ]
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15 Favorite Episodes as the Book Review Podcast Turns 15

Pamela Paul, the editor of the Book Review, highlights memorable episodes from her eight years hosting the show, including conversations with Robert Caro, Isabel Wilkerson, James McBride and others. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2021-04-14 13:30:36 UTC ]
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Book Review: ‘On the House,’ by John Boehner

“On the House” is an anecdote-rich memoir by the former speaker of the House that fails to give readers the whole picture. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2021-04-09 13:05:40 UTC ]
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Steerforth Speaks Truth to Power

A new imprint from Steerforth promotes books that offer open, thoughtful explorations of challenging topics and issues. (Sponsored) Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-03-26 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Poetry Birmingham Literary Journal restructures as ACE awards grant

Poetry Birmingham Literary Journal has restructured after securing its first grant from Arts Council England.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-03-22 08:57:11 UTC ]
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Book Review: ‘Model Citizen,’ by Joshua Mohr

In the memoir “Model Citizen,” Joshua Mohr recounts a life of substance abuse, real love and “cheery nihilism.” Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2021-03-09 10:00:09 UTC ]
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Did Facebook ‘cancel Abe Lincoln’? The truth is complicated — and alarming.

A conservative publisher’s rejected ad for a historical novel led to complaints of cancel culture. Here’s what really happened. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2021-03-04 13:00:00 UTC ]
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Review: Why do women stay with toxic men? A debut novel has some uncomfortable answers

Megan Nolan's "Acts of Desperation," about a woman in thrall to an older man, stands out from similar tales with an uncannily self-aware narrator. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2021-03-03 15:00:19 UTC ]
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Now You See It: A Magician’s Memoir Promises Truth and Other Lies

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[ The New York Times | 2021-03-02 16:45:00 UTC ]
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How Reading Ebooks Changes Our Perception (And Reviews)

Take a deep dive into research around reading ebooks and print books, and how these experiences compare to each other and other media. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2021-03-02 11:33:00 UTC ]
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Book Review: ‘Burnt Sugar,’ by Avni Doshi

“Burnt Sugar,” a debut novel by Avni Doshi, depicts a particularly intense mother-daughter relationship — from the tormented daughter’s point of view. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2021-03-02 10:00:08 UTC ]
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Samira Shackle | 'I enjoyed writing in a more descriptive way than you would in journalism'

Pakistan, and particularly her mother's home city of Karachi, have long held a fascination for British journalist Samira Shackle. In fact, in 2012 she quit her job at the New Statesman and for a year became a Karachiite. Shackle says: “I had an urge to reconnect with this heritage—this was... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-02-26 06:47:55 UTC ]
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In India, the complicated truth behind the killing of two teenagers

Sonia Faleiro’s investigation illuminates the role of “honor” in the lives of the nation’s girls. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2021-02-19 17:12:34 UTC ]
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News Corp agrees deal with Google over payments for journalism

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[ The Guardian | 2021-02-17 17:11:57 UTC ]
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Review: A survivor's memoir on sickness and health — 'we are all terminal patients on this earth'

In 'Between Two Kingdoms,' young cancer survivor Suleika Jaouad writes with fierce honesty about the false divide between the sick and the well. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2021-02-15 15:00:38 UTC ]
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Book Review: ‘Under a White Sky,’ by Elizabeth Kolbert

In “Under a White Sky,” the Pulitzer Prize winner Elizabeth Kolbert meets people who are trying to reverse the course of man-made environmental disaster. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2021-02-10 10:00:00 UTC ]
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Review of 2020: independent publishers

The BBC boost enjoyed by Sally Rooney’s Normal People helped Faber to post strong sales of both the young author’s titles, while Matt Haig’s books claimed three of the top six chart positions for Canongate. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-02-04 22:44:47 UTC ]
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