Not the dishy, gossipy insider book that some might have been wishing for from an author famously discharged from Fox News for making a correct prediction about the 2020 electoral returns - But an enjoyable read nonetheless. Stirewalt clearly has newsprint in his veins but is also level-headed about the economics of the news industry and where it has taken wrong turns. He has clearly imbibed Yuval Levin's ideas about the role of institutions in American life, and the importance of 'molds' versus 'platforms.' A helpful diagnosis, even if the solutions have, as in most books like this, difficulty living up to the challenge the author sets out.

I have recently taken a liking to non-fiction reads and this one really taught me a lot. I didn’t realize how interesting this topic was until I finished reading and had to sit with what I had just learned. I definitely would read more from this author. Chris Stirewalt did a great job.

Chris Stirewalt of former Fox News Decision Desk fame has put together a brisk book of media criticism. <i>Broken News</i> is polemic contra the phenomenon of "post-journalism," which is an Andrey Miroshnichenko term used to describe the cultivation of a focused consumer based that "highly habituated" to particular types of content. Stirewalt's work is an accessible summary of many sophisticated system-level problems in news media and journalism. Despite, <i>Broken News</i> being a work of criticism, Stirewalt's jaunty voice shines through, and the work has an overall hopeful tone.

Stirewalt introduces his book, indicating that it will illustrate how "market pressures on the new media led decision makers" at all types of outlets "to embrace fear and rage as business models" (post-journalism). He recaps the familiar story about the changing technological landscape of journalism, the disengagement of Americans with journalistic content, and the associated disruption of the old print and old internet ad model, which has been supplanted by rapid, hyper-competitive attention model to which social media apps and cable TV are the portals with non-stop access. This environmental has paradoxically nationalized and fragmented journalism, leading to both the decline of quality local news and old school investigative journalism. It has also falsely turned up the dial on the tone of coverage. Hype, advocacy, sponsored content, gossip, and personality-driven tactics continue to creep into what should be the purview of solemn hard news in order to make a desperate grasp for new viewership and rage-provoking partisan opining is used to keep cultivated viewers hooked. This becomes a race to the bottom and makes for an unhealthy public discourse, which feeds forward into a dysfunctional politically and civic system.

Given that much of Stirewalt's arguments appear in other works, including those that are sources for this text like <i>Amusing Ourselves to Death</i>, he is careful not to dwell on overly familiar ground. His take is fresh and topical enough that I think it makes the read worthwhile. There is sometimes a bit too much throat clearing, self-aware preening, and unnecessary color and human interest vignettes, but nonetheless it an accessible work that a lot of Americans would benefit from picking up.

This is a well-written, often witty, and always insightful, fairly even-handed review of the parlous state of big media journalism. With a keen sense of journalism's history, and a deep understanding of current developments, Stirewalt leads the reader through a rewarding survey of what is wrong and why.

I was surprised to learn that a man who work for Fox News was going to be responsible for writing a fair and balance for trail of the broken new system today, but he did. From targeting our motions to picking a side in the political race to outing someone the news really doesn’t seem to have morals today and then this book Chris explains hall‘s behavior is an original to all main stream news like some want to believe. It has been going on for eons since newspapers were invented. anyone who puts out news who wants listeners, readers, subscribers ETC and how do you get that but by making that person believe they’re siding with the quote smart reporter!“ This book was so interesting and although I wasn’t surprised by much I was interested in at all and despite him working for Fox News I did think it was a very fair examination of news today and in the past. I would definitely recommend this book regardless of your affiliation or opinion. I received this book from NetGalley and the author and I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes I am blind and dictate my review but all opinions are definitely my own.