Synopses & Reviews
Since the 1960s, American political life has undergone some major transformations: conservative politicians and values have proliferated, and television has become the main forum for public discourse. In The Sound Bite Society, Jeffrey Scheuer shows how these changes are directly connected and explains that the key to understanding these forces lies in the nature of television and its relationship to ideology. Scheuer asserts that television is an inherently simplistic medium favoring sentimental and one-dimensional communication: visceral sound bites and photo ops. But a vibrant democracy is possible only if conflicting, complex ideas are exchanged. The Sound Bite Society asks if television has served democracy; Scheuer answers with a definitive No. Challenging Americans to resuscitate complexity as part of our public life, this book is crucial to anyone interested in understanding and changing our political landscape.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. [225]-230)
About the Author
Jeffrey Scheuer writes about politics and the media for publications including the New York Times, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times. He lives in New York City.
Table of Contents
Politics of electronic information --Ascent of the electronic right --Shouting heads: the language of television --Video games: television and reality --Complexity and ideology --Critical vision: television and the attentive society.