Description
Book SynopsisA detailed argument of how our government has interfered in the direction of America''s media landscape that traces major transformations in media since the printing press and charts a path for reform. In The Changing Ecosystem of the News, Martha Minow takes stock of the new media landscape. She focuses on the extent to which our constitutional system is to blame for the current parlous state of affairs and on our government''s responsibilities for alleviating the problem. As Minow shows, the First Amendment of the US Constitution assumes the existence and durability of a private industry. Although the First Amendment does not govern the conduct of entirely private enterprises, nothing in the Constitution forecloses government action to regulate concentrated economic power, to require disclosure of who is financing communications, or to support news initiatives where there are market failures. Moreover, the federal government has contributed financial resources, laws, and regulations
Trade ReviewWhat the book does do rather successfully is destroy the myth that any and all forms of support for the media will necessarily undermine democracy and speech freedom. * Damian Tambini, Distinguished Policy Fellow, and Associate Professor in the Department of Media and Communications at LSE, E-International Relations *
What is remarkable about Martha Minow's book is that she is pragmatic about the enormous potential that this new form of content curation brings to society ... The need to regulate using the First Amendment as the guiding principle that Minow has so meticulously articulated in the book bears testimony to this unflinching zeal to preserve the cornerstones of democratic ideals, which are under serious threat in contemporary times. * Dr. Shameek Sen, Journal of Indian Law and Society *
Thoughtful proposals for protecting the integrity of news...Minow underscores the urgency of restoring public interest to communications policy. * Kirkus *
Table of ContentsPreface, by Newton Minow Introduction Chapter 1: News Deserts, Echo Chambers, Algorithmic Editors, and the Siren Call of Revenues Chapter 2: News Production and Distribution in the United States: Private Industry and Government Contributions Chapter 3: Does the First Amendment Forbid, Permit, or Require Government Support of News Industries Chapter 4: Constitutionally Inflected Reforms Coda Notes Index
