An Unfettered Press, a publication of the United States Information Agency, has briefly recorded the phases through which the American print and the electronic media has passed through before reaching its present stage when each home in the United States of America depends on it for various reasons. Every household has, at an average, three radio sets and 95 percent own televisions.
As a matter of routine exposure to early morning broadcast and telecast and a casual browsing of a selected daily newspaper, seems to have become a second habit of every American family. It is in addition to taking a hot cup of coffee at breakfast. Before going out on their jobs they would like to be aware of the latest; be it art, literature, music or politics. If nothing else attracts them, then at least nicely developed ads are there to give them visual sensation. It is equally welcome on a TV screen or in the pages of a newspaper.
The US news industry is also a very big business. Daily newspapers alone generate some $32 billion in advertising revenue a year. Magazines - and there are more than 11,000 of them - circulate more copies than there are Americans to read them.
The American media is protected by government interference by a brief, 200 year-old clause in the American Constitution and performs its function as news gatherer, news monitor and news disseminator. The entertainment and business aspect has assumed a secondary position though these aspects bring revenue to sustain the media companies.
Over a period of years of ups and downs, the American media has gained credibility as far as protection of American interest is concerned. People, in general, have developed faith in it and before reaching any conclusion on national or regional issues, they pay due regard to opinion expressed in the print as well as through the electronic media. The media in the American society has adopted the role of opinion leaders - and a dependable opinion leader. At times it is accused of trespassing privacy limits and at times for compromising on principals of decency but generally remains balanced. It is seldom that the media would deceive its audience/readers.
What has brought this respect to the American media constitutes a complex issue. The story of the American press being complex reflects the pluralism of the country itself. A favoured description is diversity. Nevertheless, there are some common threads that bind the media in the United State. The booklet has counted six common traits that govern the entire media business. The American news industry is a business; the industry views itself as a public trust; the news industry is largely unregulated; there is no uniform definition of news; the mainstream press is generally non-ideological; and, America's press tradition is community based. The clear understanding of these six issues is necessary - in the American society - to understand the relationship between the people and the media.
This publication has an edge over a large number of books and publications that chronicle the vicissitude American press have passed through. The information in this publication includes discussion on issues such as business side of a newspaper, libel law in the United States, constitutional protection to media, people's right to know and the media's responsibility to tell the truth. There is also a lively discussion on rights and responsibilities, and minorities in journalism (mostly about the Hispanic). Targeting an audience is another interesting aspect that should be taken into account by the emerging media industry in the developing countries. It would be information for those who think that targeting audience was an old concept in the United States of America. They should know that it is only about 15 years ago that this targeted audience approach has gained momentum in the U.S. The discussion provides insight into the working of specialized journalism, so to say.
This publication is a must for those who are in the media business and desire to excel in it. This 95-page publication carries on its title cover 19 words "The right of the people to speak out through a free press is a hallmark of a democratic society." The entire publication has confined itself to these words and all that has been discussed in it conforms to the spirit with which this publication has been brought out. It is all about American journalism in capsule form. It is effective.
Printing is on art paper and reproduction of pictures has been done tastefully.
Name of the Publication: An Unfettered Press
Editor: Hedley Burrell
Publisher: United States Informarion Agency
Price: Not mentioned
Pages: 95
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