Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Former CBS reporter Bernard Goldberg's BIAS became politicized even before it was out on the market. And it's a shame. This is a WONDERFUL, important, thought-provoking book and a GREAT READ...no matter WHAT your political stance is. Before this book was even in the general public's hands conservative talk-show hosts glorified it while some liberals (and news figures) badmouthed or down played it. But the bottom line is: Goldberg is a gifted writer who writes with incredible bluntness and supports most allegations with specific names, facts and quotations. Goldberg, the modern media's most high-profile whistleblower, became a non-person and was marginalized until he left CBS due to his sin: he wrote a blunt and thoughtful piece in the Wall Street Journal questioning the objectivity of CBS Evening News reporter Eric Engberg's Reality Check segment in which Engberg ridiculed presidential candidate Steve Forbe's flat-tax idea's "Number One Wackiest Flat Tax Promise." There are two levels to this book. One, woven throughout, is the story of how due to his sin the CBS hierarchy, particularly his one-time friend Dan Rather, shunned him, kept him off the air, and was furious at him. He says one CBS bigwig warned him that the corporation would use "all the big guns in its arsenal against him" if he became too sympathetic. Rather was quoted as suggesting Goldberg, who was NOT a Republican, was trying to intimidate him and, Goldberg alleges, took a "take-no-prisoners" behind-the-scenes stance to undermine him. Even media types outside CBS were not happy with him leading him to conclude that media "elites", which want to report on everyone, don't want anyone to report on them. The other level is more important: he gives specifics examples (names, quotes, specific stories) of deeply ingrained media bias. Some key ones: --A CBS reporter in a conference call labelling former presidential candidate Gary Bauer "that little nut from the Christian Group." And no editors listening objected. --How a CBS producer didn't want images of black prisoners on a chain gang story since it might make viewers think many prisoners were black (which they were)...and similar problems on showing black looters in the Virgin Islands. --How news producers generally don't like to feature blacks in news stories since it means lower ratings. --How homeless activists bloated statistics and downplayed the role of the mentally ill, alcoholic and drug-users among that population. How the homeless story is heavily reported when Republicans are in power, then suddenly dropped once a Demcrat takes office. He makes a persuasive case. --How the news media went along with early contentions by AIDS activists that the horrorific disease put the entire heterosexual population at risk versus specific segments (homosexuals, drug users and those that have sex with them). --How the word "controversial" often means the reporter/show does not agree with the person or issue to which it refers. --How conservatives are labelled as such but liberals aren't. This book has a wealth of SPECIFIC, FACTUAL information...all peppered with Goldberg's blunt reporting, hilarious zingers (too many to count here!), and searing sarcasm. This should be required reading for anyone who is in or thinking about going into journalism. Ironically, the book's basic set-up is its FLAW. By being so blunt and taking on the issue head-on Goldberg runs the risk (as his appearances on talk shows prove) of being defined by others as being a disgruntled employee and conservative ideologue. He is truly NEITHER: due to his "crime" he ran into a buzz saw of office politics, sometimes subtle corporate retaliation, blatant efforts to discredit him and his motives -- and is clearly angry. But his ALLEGATIONS here are BACKED UP with SPECIFICS. If nothing else, Goldberg shows how news organizations operate from a ground-level assumption -- a conventional political wisdom. ALL news outlets do (take it from a former reporter, like me): CBS, ABC, NBC, CNN and Fox. In staking out his ground here, Goldberg does too. But unlike others Goldberg's message is "let's THINK about this and let's do SOMETHING to apply the same rules to everyone and be MORE objective." For that he became personna non grata in circles he criticizes, a hero to those who hate those circles -- but his message is a solid one and delivered with all the writing skill of a topflight pro.