Wizards
of Media Oz: Behind the Curtain of Mainstream News
by Norman Solomon, Jeff Cohen
Reviews
Patricia Holt, Book Editor, San Francisco
Chronicle, commenting on the authors' previous work
"The authors have a knack for articulating
questions that lie dormant in the midst of headline news.... They have
thousands of facts to back up their criticism of what they see as consistently
sloppy, stupid, cowardly, corporate-run news coverage.... The charges are
relentless, supported by facts and quotes, quite disturbing and uncomfortable
- mighty welcome in these perilous merged-media times."
Los Angeles Times, commenting on the authors'
previous work
"The bold, muckraking tone of these columns
offers a welcome respite from the decerebrated discourse that too often
passes for contemporary journalism."
Barbara Ehrenreich
"Cohen and Solomon are the sharpest media
watchers in the business,"
Customer Comments
joe lira (joe@joe.to) from
sn francisco, August 24, 1998
great book
absolutely great book, necessary reading
for anyone who thinks this country is "free" for anyone but the wealthy
Jonathan Davis (jsd14@hotmail.com)
from Orlando, FL, July 11, 1998
The authors make some good points, but
are too biased
The book is a series of critiques of the
news media from an unabashed leftist perspective. Cohen and Solomon are
scathing in their criticisms of the news media. They consider most journalists
timekeepers for their corporate bosses, and a good deal of their analysis
is correct. Unfortunately, being extremely liberal, they do not discuss
the vice versa, media unfairness toward conservatives and conservative
viewpoints; I don't know if this is an oversight or deliberate, but I would
assume it's the latter. Still, this is well worth reading, so long as the
reader takes it with a grain of salt.
Lupo@sscc.org from Fairhaven,
Massachusetts, February 19, 1998
An eye-opening revelation of what lies
behind nightly news.
Solomon and Cohen reveal to the reader the
"wizards" who pull the levers behind the headlines, the corporations who
desire to slant the situations in their favor, by their use of money and
influence. More of a liberal lean, in an era when parents need to hear
from their children that "liberal" is not a dirty word. Unafraid to name
names, to point out those who benefit from corporate/political shenanigans,
and smoke and mirror games. Journalists take a hit as well, and rightly
so, for their part in pulling the wool over the eyes of the public. Worthwhile
reading for anyone who believes that Dan, Peter, and Tom are not telling
the whole story. Worthwhile for discussion groups!
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