Book Review: Off the Bookshelf

It's the Media, Stupid

Seven Stories Press, 128 pp., $10 (paper)

The great failing of the academic left in trying to reach the masses is long-windedness. Seven Stories Press' "Open Media Pamphlet Series" at least partially addresses this problem with short, to-the-point booklets (pocket-sized and usually less than 100 pages). In the 17th volume of the series, Nation columnist John Nichols (no relation to yours truly) and professor Bob McChesney (Rich Media, Poor Democracy -- see "Media Clips," October 15, 1999) offer not merely a complaint about the pathetic state of the media and its debilitating effect on democracy, but also outline possible courses of correction. They explain the implicit problems of a commercially driven media system, give successful examples of how activists have struck back around the world, and argue that media reform deserves the same attention that the environment, globalization, and civil rights have received on the left agenda. Anyone considering forming a media activist group -- and Austin could badly use one -- should look to It's the Media, Stupid for a primer.