About the Author

Leonard Downie Jr. has worked since 1964 at the Washington Post, where he has been an investigative reporter, a principal editor in the paper's Watergate coverage, a foreign correspondent, national editor, managing editor and, since 1991, executive editor, succeeding Ben Bradlee. This is his fourth book. He lives in Washington, D.C.

Robert G. Kaiser, who joined the Post in 1963, has been a local, national and foreign correspondent, assistant managing editor for national news and managing editor. He is now associate editor and senior correspondent. This is his sixth book. He lives in Washington, D.C.

Reviews

“Unsettling . . . a valuable and alarming book.” –Los Angeles Times Book Review

“Important. . . . Downie and Kaiser offer valuable firsthand insights.” –The New York Times Book Review

“A strong contribution. . . . Downie and Kaiser write from inside the tent, and they write from experience. Their views are worth our attention.” –The Miami Herald

“Unsettling. . . . The News About the News has a message worth reading.” –St. Louis Post-Dispatch

“We needed something persuasively powerful. Here it is. . . . [This book] makes the case that news is essential, that the quality of news has been in decline and that letting it go on declining is not just bad journalism but bad business. I wish I'd written it.” –James M. Naughton, American Journalism Review

“Downie and Kaiser are not campus alarmists, but serious men who do not kid around. . . . A thorough piece of reporting in the upright plain-but-honest tradition.” –Russell Baker, The New York Review of Books

“A vividly written account of what is indeed American journalism in peril. It will grip anyone who reads a paper regularly and watches television.” –The Times Literary Supplement

“Influential. . . . A fascinating inside look.”–The Boston Phoenix

“An insightful and penetrating look at how journalism has changed for the better and worse.” –Booklist

“Refreshing and educational. . . . Any reader who cares about the quality of information available to the American citizenry is bound to learn something new, and probably unforgettable, from this insiders’ account.” –BookPage

“An insightful and authoritative look at how corporate financial demands have consistently eroded newsroom budgets with a corresponding cutback in the coverage of the news.” –The Sacramento Bee

“Brief yet meaningful. . . . An important, up-to-date study that should be required reading for . . . serious consumers of the news.” –Publishers Weekly

Americans and others around the world relied on the news media for coverage of the events of September 11. Downie and Kaiser, both Washington Post executives with extensive reporting experience, contrast this coverage with recent negative trends in journalism, such as a focus on entertainment and celebrities. The result is an insider's perspective on the deterioration of news reporting in all forms of media, from newspapers to the Internet. Drawing on their experiences at the Post, the authors show how excellent journalism, such as reporting on the education of black children in North Carolina, brings attention and action to social problems. They also offer a fascinating account of the decision-making process used to determine whether to publish a story during the 1996 presidential campaign on Bob Dole's infidelity during his first marriage. Further, they discuss how the demand for profits has led to more sensational news coverage to boost ratings, which has reduced the amount of space or time given to international and hard news. Interviews with the three network anchors and analysis of local television news programs reveal problems with news coverage in the electronic media (e.g., if it bleeds it leads). Written in journalistic style, this accessible, elegant, and, most importantly, persuasive account will be of interest to both public and academic libraries. Judy Solberg, George Washington Univ. Lib., Washington, DC Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

"Unsettling . . . a valuable and alarming book." -Los Angeles Times Book Review

"Important. . . . Downie and Kaiser offer valuable firsthand insights." -The New York Times Book Review

"A strong contribution. . . . Downie and Kaiser write from inside the tent, and they write from experience. Their views are worth our attention." -The Miami Herald

"Unsettling. . . . The News About the News has a message worth reading." -St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"We needed something persuasively powerful. Here it is. . . . [This book] makes the case that news is essential, that the quality of news has been in decline and that letting it go on declining is not just bad journalism but bad business. I wish I'd written it." -James M. Naughton, American Journalism Review

"Downie and Kaiser are not campus alarmists, but serious men who do not kid around. . . . A thorough piece of reporting in the upright plain-but-honest tradition." -Russell Baker, The New York Review of Books

"A vividly written account of what is indeed American journalism in peril. It will grip anyone who reads a paper regularly and watches television." -The Times Literary Supplement

"Influential. . . . A fascinating inside look."-The Boston Phoenix

"An insightful and penetrating look at how journalism has changed for the better and worse." -Booklist

"Refreshing and educational. . . . Any reader who cares about the quality of information available to the American citizenry is bound to learn something new, and probably unforgettable, from this insiders' account." -BookPage

"An insightful and authoritative look at how corporate financial demands have consistently eroded newsroom budgets with a corresponding cutback in the coverage of the news." -The Sacramento Bee

"Brief yet meaningful. . . . An important, up-to-date study that should be required reading for . . . serious consumers of the news." -Publishers Weekly