The Powers That Be
Crackling with the personalities, conflicts, and ambitions that transformed the media from something that followed the news to something that formed it, "The Powers That Be" is David Halberstam's forceful account of the rise of modern media as an instrument of political power, published here with...
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Crackling with the personalities, conflicts, and ambitions that transformed the media from something that followed the news to something that formed it, "The Powers That Be" is David Halberstam's forceful account of the rise of modern media as an instrument of political power, published here with a new introduction by the author. Beginning with FDR's masterful use of radio to establish the sense of a personal, benevolently paternal relationship with the American people and culminating in the discovery and coverage of the Watergate break-in, Halberstam tracks the firm establishment of the media as a potent means of shaping both public opinion and public policy.He tells the story through vivid, intimate portraits of the men, women, and politics behind four key media organizations: CBS and its board chairman William S. Paley; "Time" magazine and its cofounder Henry Luce; the "Washington Post" and successive publishers Philip Graham and his wife, Katherine; and, the "Los Angeles Times" and publishers Norman Chandler and his son, Otis.
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Format: paperback
ISBN:
9780252069413 (0252069412)
Publish date: October 19th 2000
Publisher: University of Illinois Press
Pages no: 792
Edition language: English
An essential read for anyone interested in the history of journalism. Albeit somewhat dated, the book remains a relevant chronology of our ever-changing media landscape.