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How to Watch TV News Audiobook
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(2.98) - 252 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
America is suffering from an information glut. Most Americans are no longer clear about what news is worth remembering or how any of it connects to anything else. Thus, Americans are rapidly becoming the least knowledgeable people in the industrial world.
In How to Watch TV News, author and academic Neil Postman and television journalist Steve Powers show how you can become a discerning viewer. They show the difference between entertainment fodder and genuine news, pointing to the symbiotic relationship between TV news and advertising. They explain why TV news has become a “cash cow,” and stress that anyone who relies exclusively on TV for his or her knowledge of the world is making a serious mistake.
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"Had I not already assumed much of what was said in the book, I would've found it much more interested. This is a pretty good book for those who regularly watch the TV news of any network though."
— Eugene (4 out of 5 stars)
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“[A] brief, helpful analysis of America’s most popular news source…[in] a sober but accessible style.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“Jeff Riggenbach’s reading is ideal: very clear, comfortably paced and objective in tone. This reviewer urges this book on every adult in America.”
— AudioFile
How to Watch TV News Listener Reviews
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" I quit reading it- definitely not to teach to 9th graders and rather outdated at this point. "
— Courtney, 12/21/2013 -
" some valid points, but i think this dude is terrified of the world. "
— Cj, 12/1/2013 -
" I love Neil Postman and have read just about all of his books. "
— Bruce, 11/26/2013 -
" Although this book is really outdated (the internet was never mentioned) it brings up some really good points about TV news that I never considered; and I studied this stuff in college. This isn't a super academic book, which made it an easy, fun, yet informative read. "
— Stacy, 11/16/2013 -
" Nearly 20 years old it stands the test of time well as much of how news is produced remains the same although done by fewer people and new technologies. "
— Tom, 9/5/2013 -
" very interesting. backed up my assumptions with facts. Very disjointed that's why it's a 3/5 "
— Bforcier, 6/17/2012 -
" The authors seem to think that people are idiots. The book is written with a very sarcastic, jaded tone. However, it does provide an inside look at the motivating factors in TV news and what goes on behind-the-scenes. While educational, it seems to be too biased to be taken seriously. "
— Melissa, 1/22/2012 -
" had to read for English 1410, Fall 2011. Hm, let's just say I don't have any interest in the news whatsoever so this book wasn't my idea of a good time.. "
— Emily, 11/18/2011 -
" well worth the time to read. some examples are starting to become dated but the reasoning and the essential points are timeless. highly recommended. "
— Maggie, 11/11/2011 -
" just like most books he writes, only the first and last 2 chapters are worth reading. "
— Kirsten, 11/5/2011 -
" I don't necessarily agree with other reviewers about whether this book is "dated," and I think it stands as a useful consciousness-raising exercise. Still, I found myself wondering what the authors would make of the electronic media landscape today.... "
— Mark, 9/3/2010 -
" I don't necessarily agree with other reviewers about whether this book is "dated," and I think it stands as a useful consciousness-raising exercise. Still, I found myself wondering what the authors would make of the electronic media landscape today.... "
— Mark, 7/10/2010 -
" just like most books he writes, only the first and last 2 chapters are worth reading. "
— Kirsten, 7/17/2009 -
" I love Neil Postman and have read just about all of his books. "
— Bruce, 2/2/2009 -
" some valid points, but i think this dude is terrified of the world. "
— Cj, 7/17/2007 -
" I quit reading it- definitely not to teach to 9th graders and rather outdated at this point. "
— Courtney, 4/5/2007
About the Authors
Neil Postman (1931–2003) was chairman of the Department of Communication Arts at New York University and founder of its Media Ecology program. He wrote more than twenty books. His son Andrew Postman is the author of five books, and his work appears in numerous publications.
Steve Powers is an Emmy Award–winning journalist with more than forty-five years of experience in broadcast news. He is the coauthor of How to Watch TV News.
About Jeff Riggenbach
Jeff Riggenbach (1947-2021) narrated numerous titles for Blackstone Audio and won an AudioFile Earphones Award. An author, contributing editor, and producer, he worked in radio in San Francisco for more than thirty years, earning a Golden Mike Award for journalistic excellence.