Stories with no substance. Talking heads without a clue. "Team" coverage
that still misses the big picture. Overheated hype. Cute chatter. Film
at eleven. Is it any wonder more and more of us count less and less on
the news?
"It used to be that a news story told you who, what, where, when, how,
and why," Art Athens writes. "Now the story might tell you who, or it
might tell you when, but there's a good chance that when it's over
(which won't take long), you'll be the one saying What?"
Here's a legendary journalist's back to the basics guide to the craft of
broadcast news. Combining insights from his own award-winning career
with in-depth conversations with leading newspeople, Art Athens offers a
primer on the best practices in reporting, writing, and delivering the
news.
And he lets some of the best in the business talk frankly and
passionately about what it takes to do the job right: Dan Rather,
Charles Osgood, Mike Wallace, Brian Williams, Andy Rooney, Charles
Kuralt, Linda Ellerbee, and Don Hewitt.
What kind of skills--and spirit--does it take to be a successful,
serious broadcast journalist? How are the good stories conceived and
written? And in today's cynical age of news as entertainment, what
should reporters and editors do to restore confidence in the media? In
this funny, sharp, honest book, anyone who cares about the news will
find answers on every page.