The New Blue Media: How Michael Moore, Moveon.org, Jon Stewart and Company Are Transforming Progressive Politics

by Theodore Hamm

A look at the journalists and satirists who’ve helped transform the political landscape in the twenty-first century.
 
The New Blue Media  traces the rise during the Bush years of new media the news-saturated satire of  The Onion ,  The Daily Show , and  The Colbert Report ; the polemical assaults of Michael Moore and Air America; and the instant-messaging politics of MoveOn, Daily Kos, and the netroots. With the exception of Air America, all of these new media outlets have found commercial success―marking, says Hamm, a new era in liberal politics.
 
Does this new media matter? In 2004, both Michael Moore and MoveOn became major players; more recently, the influence of the netroots has sparked upheaval and debate within the Democratic Party. The New Blue Media examines this phenomenon in depth, and the reshaping of both the style and the substance of progressivism.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction

240 pages, Hardcover

First published May 13, 2008

Reviews

[Marigold]

A fun overview of the new liberal media. (Since the old media, aren't. Contrary to uninformed opinion.) Definitely makes me hope for more of the same, to come! I am constantly amazed at the points made via Jon Stewart, Colbert, The Onion, and others - that are funny, incisive, and (gasp!) create room for serious thought as well. A hopeful book for those of us interested in media and the evolution of progressive politics. My favorite part was reliving Jon Stewart's fabulous smack-down of the utterly horrid and reprehensible Tucker Carlson. Yay, angry Jon! (And thanks Beth, for the gift!)

[Donald]

Important and topical... this is a very well written book and it is a must for anyone engaged in present day politics or simply repulsed by the sorry state of the nation. This book is a must for all of us who are eagerly watching and waiting, and waiting for the Left to stand up and fight back against the Bush regime. Theodore Hamm covers the stirrings of the new liberal media with great passion, accuracy and conviction.

[Sarah]

I picked this book up because I was intrigued by the title and I love Jon Stewart and the Daily Show. But I'm not exactly sure what the point of this book is, other than to push the liberal agenda. I am very liberal, no denying it, but I don't think that demonizing conservatives or George Bush will solve anything. I am not in Jon Stewart's head, but I think he might agree that this book is doing exactly what Fox News does on a daily basis, just going in the opposite direction: blaming all our problems on the other guys and sensationalizing it. Yes, Stewart and the Daily Show do not like Fox News, there's no question. And he is, quite obviously, liberal. But they also don't particularly like CNN or MSNBC either because they are all 24 hour news networks that feed our nation's fear mongering. What is the point of this book? People that are already super liberal will nod with satisfaction while super conservatives will be offended and annoyed. It won't change anyone's mind.

I'll admit that I didn't read the whole book, so maybe I missed the point, but the Introduction turned me off (I did read more than the introduction). I hear enough about the "evil republicans" from the very news that Jon Stewart is so passionately against. We all have different beliefs and opinions, and until we start finding a way to come to some sort of compromise and stop making huge deals out of little issues, we will continue to have a country that is full of over-the-top extremist haters (on both sides). We don't need books pushing us to hate the other side; we need to find a way to meet in the middle.

[Jeff Brailey]

If you are fans of Michael Moore, Al Franken, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, The Daily Kos and or The Onion or if you despise Bill O'Reilly, Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter, Maureen Dowd, or Rush Limbough, you will love this book. I did.

[Jeffrey]

The New Blue Media by Theodore Hamm

The New Blue Media is a study of the liberal media sources and how they are affecting the Democrat party. The author is obviously a man of the left and his sympathies are clear. Why I do not agree with him on almost nothing in the larger political arena, he is correct in pointing out that the new emergence of leftist hosts and media sources are having an impact on the effectiveness of leftists to further their agendas.
With the exception of talk radio, leftist media has become profitable during the GWB years. Michael Moore, the Daily Kos and the Huffington post have discovered a niche audience that is to the left of current liberal mainstream media. The success of these ventures has led to the writing of a fast reading current events study that is humorous and good-natured even as it comes squarely on the side of its subject. It is not all positive for the crowd, the author does not fail to find fault which makes the book that much more enjoyable and informative. While I cannot agree that this emergence is beneficial for the country, I can agree that it does benefit the left movement. So read this book and learn about the new media.

[Stewart]

This book is a good overview of the new progressive media on television, movies (documentaries), radio (finally), and the Internet. I especially found interesting the background to the start up of "The Daily Show" and the "Onion," which has a print edition in the Bay Area. (One of the producers of "The Daily Show" came from the "Onion.") I was dismayed, however, to see this sentence: "Shaking, his anger rising to a crescendo, [Michael] Moore continued:"

[Tara Brabazon]

A strong book that explores popular cultural platforms to create social change. There is a fine chapter on MoveOn, and I will use this book to teach how and why pop can be used to mobilize resistance.

[Mary Louise]

This one is definately a good read.

[Jessica]

recommended by Donald B.

[Linda]

My aesthetic sensibilities cringe when they hear the coded phrase "The Democrat Party"

[Mary]

A decent review of new blue media outlets -- but if you already follow these outlets, the review is someone unnecessary. Could have used a bit less description and a bit more analysis.