Breaking the News by James Fallows

¶ … Breaking the News" by James Fallows

Losing in Touch with the Public and Reality: The Autonomous Mass Media in "Breaking the News" by James Fallows

James Fallows' critical analysis of the mass media in the United States in the book, "Breaking the News" provided useful insights and case studies on the true nature of the mass media as one of the most dominant institutions in the American society today. Fallows conducted his critical analysis of the mass media by providing illustrations or anecdotes of specific cases in which a particular claim or assertion made by the author can be proven. As a media practitioner himself, Fallows establishes both credibility and criticism for being a member and critic of the mass media almost at the same time. That is, Fallows is critiqued for analyzing the institution wherein he has established his name and became the basis for his book. However, he is also criticized by the public for any biases or self-serving statements that he may state in his book, mainly because he is a member of the media.

Setting aside the questions of credibility regarding the author of the book, Fallows' analysis allowed me to look critically at the mass media's coverage of news, national or international in its scope. Perhaps what interested me most in the book is its first chapter, which tries to answer the crucial question, "Why we hate the media."

In answering this question, the chapter provides a series of anecdotes that offer various perspectives that readers may agree or disagree with as they look at the various reasons why the American public "hates" the mass media. Anecdote 1, entitled "Washing their hands of responsibility: "North Kosan," is a challenging account of the issues that journalists face in the midst of an "ethical crisis," making the public aware of the judgment and behavior of media practitioners when it comes to choosing between personal (even humanistic) and professional decisions. The anecdote illustrates the conflict that happens between two journalists, and, eventually, between the journalists and the public (with the inclusion of the military), when confronted to choose between covering a newsworthy footage or saving the lives of people under the danger of death. The journalists' decision to become objective and cover the event instead of saving the lives of those in danger illustrates the lack of consideration that the mass media has on the reality that surrounds them. That is, they choose to objectify every reality that they encounter everyday, and assess their judgment and behavior based on the newsworthiness of an event as it is presented to them. In this example, Fallows shows how the mass media have become an autonomous institution that cares only for itself and not the public and its welfare, the very people whom they should serve, first and foremost.