[ecrea] New book by Stephen Cushion - News and Politics: The Rise of Live and Interpretive Journalism

Shameless pitch for my colleague Stephen Cushion?s new book ? but
thought it may interest some of you:

/News and Politics: The Rise of Live and Interpretive Journalism /

http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415744713/

News and Politics critically examines television news bulletins ? still
the primary source of information for most people ? and asks whether the
wider pace and immediacy of 24-hour news culture has influenced their
format and style over time. Drawing on the concepts of mediatization and
journalistic interventionism, Stephen Cushion empirically traces the
shift from edited to live reporting from a cross-national perspective,
focussing on the two-way convention in political coverage and the more
interpretive approach to journalism it promotes.

Challenging prevailing academic wisdom, Cushion argues that the
mediatization of news does not necessarily reflect a commercial logic or
a lowering of journalism standards. In particular, the rise of live
two-ways can potentially enhance viewers? understanding of public
affairs ? moving reporters beyond their visual backdrops and reliance on
political soundbites ? by asking journalists to scrutinize the actions
of political elites, interpret competing source claims and to explain
the broader context to everyday stories. Considering the future of
24-hour news, a final discussion asks whether new content and social
media platforms ? including Twitter and Buzzfeed ? enhance or weaken
democratic culture.

This timely analysis of News and Politics is ideal for students of
political communication and journalism studies, as well as communication
studies, media studies, and political science.

Reviews

"News and Politics combines the solidity of a well-researched monograph
with the accessibility of a well-written book for students and academics
alike. Based on content analysis, Stephen Cushion provides a
broad-brushed and fine-grained account of the many ways in which British
television news has changed in recent times. He shows how the fixed-time
bulletins have been adapting to the faster-paced reporting styles of
24-hour news. He identifies the sources, manifestations and consequences
for political reporting of the rise of interpretive journalism, in which
specialist correspondents become central actors in the construction of
news. Serving seemingly as authoritative analysts and judges of
political events and standpoints, do they, Cushion asks, broaden
citizens? understanding of political reality or tell them how to think
about it? He judiciously considers the application of these trends to
the currently fashionable concepts of the mediatization of politics and
journalistic intervention into it ? proposing significant modifications
of them. In all this, Cushion is remarkably up-to-date in the analytical
and empirical literature. And he has an equally remarkable gift for
clarifying complexity."

Jay G. Blumler, Emeritus Professor of Public Communication, University
of Leeds

"Anyone trying to understand how the nature of television news has
changed to adapt it to the needs of today?s faster-paced 24/7 media
environment must read this book. Using the example of concrete practices
in the UK, US and Norway, Stephen Cushion demonstrates the far-reaching
relevance of these changes for journalists, politicians, audiences and
academics. It?s an extremely well-informed, original and compelling
analysis of shifting news logics. He concludes by relating his findings
to a wider ?Buzzification? of news and asks what this means for our
democracy. Impressive."

Frank Esser, Professor of International and Comparative Media Research,
University of Zurich

"For anyone interested in the changing form, structure and style of
television news journalism, News and Politics should be considered
required reading. Focusing in particular on whether political news
coverage has become more live, interpretive and mediatized, it both
confirms and challenges findings in previous research, and will thus
surely provoke further research and scholarly debate."

Jesper Strömbäck, Professor in Media, Communication and Journalism, Mid
Sweden University

Professor Karin Wahl-Jorgensen
Director, Research Development and Environment
Associate Editor, Communication Theory
Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies
Cardiff University
Rm 1.32 Bute Building
King Edward VII Avenue
Cardiff, CF10 3NB
(029) 2087 9414
(wahl-jorgensenk /at/ cardiff.ac.uk)

http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/jomec/contactsandpeople/profiles/wahl-jorgensen-karin.html
http://cf.academia.edu/KarinWahlJorgensen
Twitter: @KarinWahlJ


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