Making News: A Study in the Construction of Reality

by Barbara W. Tuchman

From Simon & Schuster, Making News is Gaye Tuchman's exploration into the study in the construction of reality. The Professor of Sociology at Queens College and City University of New York, Tuchman's latest work is one to cherish.As described by Todd Gitlin of Contemporary Sociology , Making News is "simply the most comprehensive book on the social construction of news by an American sociologist to date."

Genres: Nonfiction, Journalism, Academic

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

Barbara Wertheim Tuchman, historian, won a Pulitzer Prize for The Guns of August (1962) and for Stilwell and the American Experience in China (1971).

As an author, Tuchman focused on popular production. Her clear, dramatic storytelling covered topics as diverse as the 14th century and World War I and sold millions of copies.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara...

Reviews

[Beatriz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Na atualidade, “os jornalistas não só devem ser factuais, como os factos devem ser justos”, através de um "espírito de justiça" que “proteja as pessoas dos excessos do governo e os governos dos excessos das pessoas”. A todos os aspirantes a jornalistas: o primeiro passo para se resolver um problema é reconhecer que existe um (ou uma batelada deles).

[Kasperi Kainulainen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gradulueskelu polkaistiin käyntiin tällä klassikolla.

En edes tarvitse varsinaisesti tätä omaa tutkielmaa varten, mutta oli silti hyvä lukea ja pompotella samalla omia toimittajakokemuksia tähän liittyen.

Vaatii aikaa sulatella, etenkin loppupuolella, kun aletaan perkaamaan sosiologian ja journalismin filosofista luonnetta.

[Yuetong Zhong]

9，10 两章涉及到了大量的社会学知识，读不懂。先搁置一下再回头看。

[William Crosby · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sociological look at the latent structure of news and its social construction of reality, taking into consideration constraints, resources, timing, processes, and territory (of reporters, such as "beats"). Discusses news from a variety of perspectives including how it frames events and social movements (she focuses on the women's movement), how news is disseminated, and how the definition of news has changed historically.

This was written before the internet, but many basic principles still apply. The first part of the book discusses her case studies and the latter part is theoretical (epistemology, sociology, ethnomethodology, and hermeneutics). This included analyzing several other studies about mass media and how it influences perceptions about issues.

One major takeaway for me: The relationship between public/private is blurred because of governmental support and restrictions. Points out that freedom of speech, although much vaunted by the media, is constrained by the Fairness Doctrine, advertisers, accessibility, professional practices, ideology, and cultural training. Government sources are relied upon for "authoritative" information, whereas people involved (in a riot or movement) may not be consulted (partly because of access, but also a perception that an individual actor may not be perceived as authoritative or representative). Plus, the author comments that the news disguises social reality, for example by hiding the state's support of corporate capitalism.

[Kenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those interested in media sociology, this is where you go second. Tunstall (1971) comes first.