At a time when the Howard government has radically narrowed the national vision, the mainstream media has failed to notice or hold it to account. Do Not Disturb offers diverse and enlightening explanations for this failure.
Eric Beecher gives reasons for the decline of quality journalism, and Guy Rundle charts the rise of the attack-dog commentators. Margaret Simons goes inside the ABC, while Jon Faine lifts the lid on the unruly democracy of talkback radio. Robert Manne explores the unnerving conformity of the Murdoch press on Iraq, and David Marr points to the passivity of the media during the anti-refugee campaign.
The contributors to Do Not Disturb are all independent insiders. At a time when the media rules are about to change, allowing even greater concentration of power, this book initiates a necessary debate for our democracy.
Contributors include: Eric Beecher, Guy Rundle, David McKnight, Robert Manne, Quentin Dempster, Margaret Simons, Jack Waterford, Jon Faine, Dennis Glover and David Marr.
Robert Manne is professor of politics at La Trobe University and a regular commentator with the Age, the Sydney Morning Herald and ABC radio and television.
Read the review in News Weekly here.
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