The Book That Every Citizen and Journalist Should Read
“What this book does better than any single book on media history, ethics, or p... read full description
“What this book does better than any single book on media history, ethics, or p... read full description
reviews
Jan 26, 2008
Tomi
rated it: 
A 'must-read' book about contemporary journalism, which has been heavily affected by the powerful companies as well as strong political groups. The book outlines basic principles for journalists to maintain the quality of their works to serve the public --and eventually make the media business running well.
Jul 18, 2007
These are tough times for journalism. Newsroom executives' bonuses tend to be based on their company's profit margin. Journalists are constantly jockeying for the time and space necessary to tell their stories as they see fit. Only 47 percent of Americans even read a newspaper. And Time and Newsweek--news magazines, remember?--"were seven times more likely to have the same cover story as People magazine in 1997 than in 1977."
It's no wonder that in 1997, the Committee of Con More...
It's no wonder that in 1997, the Committee of Con More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Jan 05, 2011
Elizabeth
rated it: 
I just finished The Elements of Journalism and I have to say it is a very insightful, compelling and intelligent book. I picked this book up in hopes that it would help me with my senior thesis on democracy and the media and I was right. The book offered various viewpoints and ideas to help turn the press from what it is into what it should be, namely returning it to be the Fourth Estate. The authors argue that by employing the suggestions they give journalism can return to working for the publi
More...
Apr 02, 2011
Jason
rated it:
What we think we know influences what we do, so if journalism fails to inform, can Democracy outlast it? This is a question raised time and time again in Elements.
The authors tackle a rather open-ended question: what is journalism for? Here we get a brief history of journalism and the forces that gave rise to it, and a survey of the challenges facing journalism in the modern age. The authors' conclusion is that journalism is essential to Democracy, and yet journalism may yet get swall More...
The authors tackle a rather open-ended question: what is journalism for? Here we get a brief history of journalism and the forces that gave rise to it, and a survey of the challenges facing journalism in the modern age. The authors' conclusion is that journalism is essential to Democracy, and yet journalism may yet get swall More...
May 27, 2011
Pandasurya
rated it:
Kebenaran Itu Ibarat Cicak
Tulisan ini berawal dari sebuah film dan akan berakhir pada sebuah film.
“The truth is out there”, kata film seri terkenal The X-Files. Kebenaran itu ada di luar sana. Kalimat itu seperti menyiratkan bahwa kebenaran yang ada di luar sana bisa dicari, bisa ditemukan, meski tidak selalu mudah. Tapi siapa yang merasa perlu mencari kebenaran itu? Buku ini memberi jawab: wartawanlah yang mencari dan menyampaikan karena ada warga yang membutuhkan. Tapi More...
Tulisan ini berawal dari sebuah film dan akan berakhir pada sebuah film.
“The truth is out there”, kata film seri terkenal The X-Files. Kebenaran itu ada di luar sana. Kalimat itu seperti menyiratkan bahwa kebenaran yang ada di luar sana bisa dicari, bisa ditemukan, meski tidak selalu mudah. Tapi siapa yang merasa perlu mencari kebenaran itu? Buku ini memberi jawab: wartawanlah yang mencari dan menyampaikan karena ada warga yang membutuhkan. Tapi More...
31 comments
like
(2 people liked it)
Aug 10, 2009
Steven
rated it:
At times a bracing call to arms, at others a sobering look at the failures and triumphs of journalists, "The Elements of Journalism" by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel carries principles and implications that affect anyone involved with and affected by the news media. While it can get a little too abstract at times, the authors articulate with clear conviction why we need a press that maintains its principles and a public to ensure that it follows them. Without responsible and ethical j
More...
Feb 05, 2008
Mike
rated it: 
Banal crap.
The book came recommended by William Safire, so I had high hopes. But, like most established journalists writing about journalism, the authors just wring their hands and lament that the golden age of journalism has been lost. No real analysis, and definitely no worthwhile suggestions. The authors are terrified of anything new and difficult to control from a newsroom desk, and seem utterly unaware that publications outside the United States actually exist; that news aggrega More...
The book came recommended by William Safire, so I had high hopes. But, like most established journalists writing about journalism, the authors just wring their hands and lament that the golden age of journalism has been lost. No real analysis, and definitely no worthwhile suggestions. The authors are terrified of anything new and difficult to control from a newsroom desk, and seem utterly unaware that publications outside the United States actually exist; that news aggrega More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Jan 26, 2008
Belarius
rated it:
In cooperation with the Committee of Concerned Journalists, Kovach and Rosenstiel assemble the consensus in the field of journalism about what it is that journalists do. They then examine how each of those principles are affected (possibly even under threat) by the "new media" we face today.
What Kovach and Rosenstiel set out to do here is very ambitious: to outline a set of principles that define the very best journalism, to frame those principles in centuries of journalist More...
What Kovach and Rosenstiel set out to do here is very ambitious: to outline a set of principles that define the very best journalism, to frame those principles in centuries of journalist More...
Dec 28, 2010
Lisa
rated it:
Really more for those entrenched in journalism and public service rather than the everyday consumer, but a compelling and thorough review of the basic building blocks of "good journalism." However, the authors fail to devote enough pages to conflicts of interest--namely, corporate ones--as this is a huge, inescapable issue for any publication, especially ones that claim to purport the truth.
Mar 13, 2010
This is turning out to be a much better book than I anticipated. There's much more here than simply learning how to be a journalist. It discusses some history of journalism and most interesting is a journalist talking about what a journalist is trying to accomplish. This would be a terrific book for professional journalists to read as well.
Sep 28, 2011
Shannon
rated it:
It was pretty good. I enjoyed the examples it presented for each principle/element it outlined and an analysis of what we can do to achieve these principles. Yet I didn't like how the book seemed to act as if it was the ultimate authority on how to solve all of the newsrooms' problems. It would say, "We must..." or "If we follow the principles outlined in the book..." and did not present anyone else's opinions on how to change, fix, or better modern journalism. I feel confide
More...
Jul 06, 2010
MacDara
rated it:
A deeply informative and engrossing examination of journalists' role in the modern information equation. Recommended for anyone who reads what journalists write: that's what the editor of The Guardian says on the front cover, and who am I to argue?
Dec 31, 2008
I blog a lot and realized that it was some form of journalism. Then I freaked out and couldn't tell if I was just a tabloid writer. This book talks about what journalism is and what it's not. It's written to teach the MySpace/Youtube generation how informing the public is supposed to go.
Sep 15, 2009
Cecily
rated it:
From a student's point of view, this book is a pain in the ass. It's a dry, slow read. It's redundant, and like another review has mentioned, it offers very few actual solutions to the contemporary issues of journalism.
Jun 24, 2009
Daniel
rated it:
Through the use of hundreds of interviews with people in journalism and data from polls and other primary/secondary source goodness, Kovach examines the core principles that (should) guide journalists in their news reporting duties. He explains the role of the media in society and how it has become what it is today, and he goes into what we as consumers expect from a news organization. "New Media" is increasingly filling that void, which Kovach also examines, though he is more wary a
More...
Apr 02, 2009
Gina
rated it:
Important and disturbing - the lack of objectivity in new media (blogs, talking heads, etc.), esp. in the face of the death of old media (RIP, Seattle P.I.)... (sigh)
Dec 22, 2008
Joyce
rated it:
Excellent book about what journalism is, what it could be and what it is fighting to overcome. It also tells citizens what they should expect from journalism.
Dec 02, 2011
PMP
rated it: 
I was just looking for a basic how-to-be-a-decent-journalist textbook, and I found myself faced with the rather touching exhortation to be a lion for democracy.
Mar 30, 2009
Abbey
rated it:
Explains traditional journalism values by some experienced authors. I loved reading this.
Aug 31, 2011
My textbook recommended that every aspiring journalist read this....so i might.
Aug 21, 2011
Lindsay
rated it:
Besides the final chapter (which I feel could easily have been excluded), an interesting, almost inspirational book on the realities and ethics of journalism.
Aug 31, 2007
za
rated it:
Aku membelinya, patungan berempat bersama teman-teman di Boulevard ITB. Ikram, Ani, Athia, juga aku. Buku yang kami beli versi Bahasa Indonesia. Diterbitkan dengan judul, 9 Elemen Jurnalisme.
Aku belum membacanya hingga usai. Yang aku ingat, Goenawan Mohammad yang menulis pengantarnya. Sesuai dengan judulnya, buku ini menjabarkan sembilan elemen jurnalisme. Pantas dibaca bagi mereka yang ingin menjadi wartawan atau ingin memahami bagaimana berita di media massa.
Aku belum membacanya hingga usai. Yang aku ingat, Goenawan Mohammad yang menulis pengantarnya. Sesuai dengan judulnya, buku ini menjabarkan sembilan elemen jurnalisme. Pantas dibaca bagi mereka yang ingin menjadi wartawan atau ingin memahami bagaimana berita di media massa.
Aug 07, 2007
Inggita
rated it:
as more and more aspects of our lives and critical decisions we made and our worldview are influenced by the news we read and watch, we have to know our rights/responsibilities as consumers of the news, as well as the newspeople themselves should know what are expected of them. this book will tell us how. you have to read and remember it. and that's that, mate.
Apr 18, 2008
Megan
rated it:
This is one of the best books for journalists to read. Although I feel like sometimes most journalism books are geared towards print (I'm a radio gal myself), this book has good information regardless of what type of journalism you go into.
Jan 01, 2009
Amy
rated it:
If you want to be a journalist this is the book for you. I did get a little bored, as I felt Kovach went into great, great detail. I did agree with most of his points of view, although I felt it was a little idealistic.
Aug 15, 2007
Rediningrum
rated it:
Kenyataannya ga semua media dan jurnalis menerapkan sembilan elemen ini. Bahkan sekarang ada bahasan antar jurnalis tentang Media Berpihak, dan katanya itu sah2 aja. LHO??
Jul 07, 2008
Caitlin
rated it:
stolen from my editor. hopefully this will provide the inspiring discussions about journalism that are sorely lacking from the actual newsroom...sigh.
Dec 16, 2009
Ira
rated it:
A kind of phenomenon guiding-book in Journalism. Definitely, its a must-read-book for journalists and the media people. www.iralennon.blogspot.com
