Essential Reading – NEWSONOMICS

The debate over the present and future of the news industry is one that has a while left to run.  The arrival of the internet, Craigslist, Google Adwords, and the ability to scan and read news without buying a newspaper, has forever changed the news-delivery model.

There have been some very interesting discussions on this topic, including those posted on www.digitaljournalist.org, which, itself, is facing financial hardships and may need to shut down.  For a very strong status update of where we stand right now, and where we could/should be going, the new book Newsonomics, by analyst Ken Doctor, is a must-read for anyone who claims to be associated with journalism.

I am still reading this book and will post a review when I have finished it.  In the meantime, get your own copy and get informed.  The sooner you understand the true nature of what is happening in the journalism world around us, the sooner you can redefine your own future in the business.

Recommended Reading – The Invisible Empire

I met Anthony Karen at a Ku Klux Klan cross-lighting ceremony in Arkansas and we stayed in touch, on and off, over the years. During that time, Anthony kept his focus on maintaining access to KKK groups and neo-nazi organizations throughout the USA.

The result is a new book which I thoroughly recommend for anyone interested in understanding more about the KKK. Speak to many people about racist groups and the reaction is predictable. Anthony’s book gives the reader access to excellent photography from events over a number of years, at which Anthony was allowed to shoot images that few have ever seen.

The Invisible Empire: Ku Klux Klan published by Powerhouse Books, is available for pre-order from Amazon.com.

New Recommended Reading

I have been doing a fair bit of traveling, lately. Planes and departure lounges are where I catch up on my reading. Here are a couple of recommendations:

War Journal: My Five Years in Iraq

This book by NBC Middle East Bureau Chief Richard Engel gives the reader a fascinating insight into the underlying issues that drive conflict in Iraq, Iran, and neighboring countries. An easy to follow and understand history of Shia and Sunni feuding is explained and aligned to the current conflict in Iraq. Peppered with first hand experiences of reporting from a high profile war zone, Richard Engel does an excellent job of sharing thoughts, opinions, and even conflicting views with the reader. Quotes from famous travelers and explorers further draw the reader in to Richard’s world.

If you want to read a book about journalism that goes beyond the basic “this is the war from my perspective”, then War Journal: My Five Years in Iraq is recommended.

In the Hot Zone: One Man, One Year, Twenty Wars

Over the past year or two, those of you that use Yahoo! may recall seeing a button on the Yahoo! web site promoting “The Hot Zone.” This was a project by journalist Kevin Sites with the aim of visiting twenty wars in one year. This book, which comes with a free DVD, does an excellent job of bringing a human face to the challenges faced by those in conflict zones. One man points at a recently destroyed building, hit by a missile. “That was my house,” he tells the camera. But this is not only a well-written book about the life of a war journalist. The project also takes an interesting direction in the realm of mixed-media reporting. The book describes how Kevin came to work with Yahoo!’s New Media Group, using the Internet as a delivery mechanism for his video, still photography, and written reporting. The DVD that comes with the book offers a third delivery mechanism for this material. And the reports go beyond what American viewers are delivered on mainstream network TV which is largely pathetic. The book, web site, and DVD successfully represent some very hard truths – killing, suffering, torture, that is going on right now, and yet we hear nothing about most of it. The very fact that Kevin was able to grab great content from TWENTY conflict zones in just one year is a sad truth in itself.

If you want to see what mixed media reporting might look like, or if you want to make up for a year of not really getting any important news from Fox, CNN etc, then I strongly recommend In the Hot Zone: One Man, One Year, Twenty Wars by Kevin Sites.