- Paperback: 280 pages
- Publisher: Common Courage Press; 1 edition (July 1 2002)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1567511546
- ISBN-13: 978-1567511543
- Product Dimensions: 19.4 x 12.7 x 2.2 cm
- Shipping Weight: 299 g
- Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #2,147,394 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Kirkus Reviews
Populist excoriation of the US media that amuses but never quite enlightens. In this collection of short pieces culled from his synducated weekly column "Media Beat" and other sources, Solomon gathers together just about all the complaints and criticisms of the-media the left has to make. Concentration of ownership has skewed coverage so that interests of a corporate few are well represented, but stories of working people and the poor are hard to find. White males dominate a "punditocracy" while the voices of people of color and of women are only infrequently heard. Stories of scandal, ... a la Clinton and Lewinsky, keep us amused while the real scandals of corporate downsizing and layoffs and government collusion in such actions remain virtually invisible. These are all important topics, worthy of perusal and consideration, yet here they are mostly reduced to slogans and one-liners. The trouble may lie in the format; a collection of columns is perhaps bound to be superficial. Each piece is no longer than two or three pages, so Solomon can tell us what is wrong but not why. Repetition abounds; we are told the media are "Orwellian" at least seven times. Jokes are repeated, facts are repeated. It's not that Solomon doesn't provide us at times with useful information, and he certainly writes with flair and humor -- his pundit bashing of such media figures as George Will is telling and hilarious. The political cartoons provided by Matt Wuerker and others are biting, as well. Still, there is a lack of analysis, of explanation, of in-depth investigation. True believers may nod in agreement, but others may simply become bored. Readers would be better served investigating the far superior three-volume study of the media Solomon co-authored with Jeff Cohen: Wizards of Media Oz; Through the Media Looking Glass; Adventures in Medialand (not reviewed). While skewering the media, Solomon commits the same sins of which he finds them guilty: sensationalism, superficiality, banality. -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
Norman Solomon is a long-time media critic who specializes in uncovering the premises behind the `centrist' prejudices of our major `mainstream' media.... Solomon's latest work consists of reprints of many fine columns and articles he's done over the years.... You won't want to miss the P.U.litzer Prize awards for exceptionally stinky journalism that Solomon, along with Jeff Cohen of FAIR, compiles every year. The incredible major media whitewashing of [figures] such as Benjamin Netanyahu and Madeleine Albright makes for depressing but informative reading. Fortunately, Solomon has a sense of humor that leavens the dreariest news and helps put the daily crap into perspective. The myth of secret reportorial leftism is nicely debunked by Solomon. Many of the Washington press corps make six figure incomes and identify with their corporate masters.... I can't think of a better tool to organize alternative media critiques than this latest welcome work of Norman Solomon's. -- Z Magazine, November 1999, Reviewed by Michael Hardesty
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A People's Guide to Separating the Wheat from the Chaff,
By Kenneth R. Kahn (Baltimore, Maryland United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Habits of Highly Deceptive Media: Decoding Spin and Lies in Mainstream News (Paperback)
Norman Solomon's compilation of media essays analyzing and skewering the corporate media is not just an excellent historical journey, it make us look at ourselves and remember how the corporate media spin stories and successfully deceive a majority of the American people who are seduced by the slickness and gloss of the air brushed barie doll couple inhabiting the surreal world of the media and those behind the scenes, like the Wizard of Oz, who control what Americans see and read.One of the best essays was one titled "Orwellian Logic 101" in Solomon's compilation is an excellent opportunity to awaken oneself from the media induced sleep which is too easily entered and from which it is difficult to awaken. Solomon practices the important notion of viewing the world not as one thinks it ought to be but how it really is--full of lying politicians, seducers, PR men, and media sycophants who willingly and cheerfully participate as U.S. government spokesman and flag waving supporters for global hegemony supporting without question or critique American foreign policy.
1.0 out of 5 stars
Flash Over Substance,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Habits of Highly Deceptive Media: Decoding Spin and Lies in Mainstream News (Paperback)
Another account of how the media, and hence all of us, are all controlled by white guys in suits. Mr. Solomon uses the rubric of corporate media control as a vehicle to uncover his real agenda that is anti-U.S. foreign policy, anti-free market, anti-military, and blame America first.I was really hoping for well-thought-out, reasoned arguments but all I found in here was the same tired leftist mantra that yields little positive results in the real world.
1.0 out of 5 stars
Yawn,
By "redscare69" (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Habits of Highly Deceptive Media: Decoding Spin and Lies in Mainstream News (Paperback)
This book is comparable to the Pope calling Mother Teresa an atheist. Solomon's views are so far left that he actually believes moderate liberals are part of the vast right wing conspiracy. Don't waste your time.
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