Attacks on the American Press: A Documentary and Reference Guide

(Hardback)

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Description

This authoritative annotated document collection surveys and explains efforts to censor, intimidate, suppressand reform and improvenews organizations and journalism in America, from the newspapers of colonial times to the social media that saturates the present day. This primary source collection will help readers to understand how the press has been vilified (usually by powerful political or corporate interests) over the course of American history, with a special focus on current events and how these efforts to censor or influence news coverage often flout First Amendment protections concerning freedom of the press. Selected documents highlight efforts to intimidate, silence, condemn, marginalize, and otherwise undercut the credibility and influence of American journalism from the colonial era through the Trump presidency. Most of the featured documents focus on efforts borne out of self-interested attempts to shape or conceal news for political or economic gain or personal fame, but coverage also includes instances in which press actions, attitudes, or priorities deserved censure. All told, the collection will be a valuable resource for understanding the importance of a free press to American life (and the constitutional basis for preserving such), the motivations (both selfish and altruistic) of critics of American journalism from the earliest days of the Republic to today, and the impact of all of the above on American society.

Reviews

A well-curated compilation of important primary documents representing more than 200 years of American aggression toward the media. General readers and students of journalism, communications, history, and political science will find this work useful. * Library Journal *
Both informative and readable for those merely interested in the subject. Appropriate for college and high-school libraries. * Booklist *

Author Bio

Jessica Roberts, PhD, is assistant professor of communication studies in the School of Social Sciences at the Universidade Catlica Portuguesa in Lisbon. She is coauthor of American Journalism and "Fake News": Examining the Facts. Adam Maksl, PhD, is associate professor of journalism and media at Indiana University Southeast. He is coauthor of American Journalism and "Fake News": Examining the Facts.