Scandal and Silence

Beschreibung

This timely and engaging book challenges the conventional wisdom onmedia and scandal in the United States. The common view holds thatmedia crave and actively pursue scandals whenever they sensecorruption. Scandal and Silence argues for a differentperspective. Using case studies from the period 1988-2008, it showsthat: * Media neglect most corruption, providing too little, not toomuch scandal coverage; * Scandals arise from rational, controlled processes, notemotional frenzies - and when scandals happen, it's not themedia but governments and political parties that drive the processand any excesses that might occur; * Significant scandals are indeed difficult for newsorganizations to initiate and harder for them to maintain and bringto appropriate closure; * For these reasons cover-ups and lying often work, and truthremains essentially unrecorded, unremembered. Sometimes, bad behavior stimulates an avalanche of media attentionwith demonstrable political consequences, yet other times, equallyshoddy activity receives little notice. This book advances atheoretical model to explain these differences, revealing anunderlying logic to what might seem arbitrary and capriciousjournalism. Through case studies of the draft and military scandalsinvolving Dan Quayle, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and John Kerry;alleged sexual misconduct of politicians including but not limitedto Clinton; and questionable financial dealings of Clinton andGeorge W Bush, the book builds a new understanding of mediascandals which will be essential reading for anyone concerned withthe relationship between media and democracy today.

Autor*in

Robert M. Entman

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Communication & Media Studies Kommunikation u. Medienforschung Medienforschung

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"This book combines insightful theoretical analysis with interesting empirical research, and is a major contribution to the field." Discourse and Communication "This is the definitive work on political scandal in the modern American press. The reader will find engaging and richly detailed accounts of dozens of scandals, along with explanations of why in some cases they became so overblown, and, in others, did not develop at all despite available evidence. The book raises important questions about how journalists tell stories, and why those stories so often fail to embody the ideals we associate with a free press in a democracy." Lance Bennett, University of Washington "Robert Entman has long been one of the most insightful analysts of the news media. Scandal and Silence will add to his reputation. Anyone who thought they had a reasonable understanding of how the media handle scandal will have to think again. A brilliant book that is a must read for those in the classroom, the newsroom, and the political cloakroom." Thomas E. Patterson, Harvard University
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