Mightier Than the Sword: How the News Media Have Shaped American History

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Summary: Excellent analysis of why media must be included in history
Review: I had to read Mightier Than the Sword for Professor Streitmatter's class and let me tell you, it was on the of most interesting and easiest to read books probably ever produced in academia. Beyond the fact that he is probably the best professor at AU, he really sheds light on how the media have played a huge role in shaping U.S. history. He could have put more examples in there (14 is good but there are many more to choose from). It is interesting to think if some of the events he talks about, like McCarthyism and anti-Vietnam war sentiment, would not have gathered strength if it weren't for the media. This is a must-buy for anyone interested in American history or history of the media in America.

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Summary: Episodes illustrate power of the press
Review: Today's journalist lives at an odd moment in history.

While the public expresses fear at the perceived power of the news media to corrupt American society, many editors and reporters, burdened with the stresses of daily journalism and competing with a myriad of new information/entertainment outlets, wonder if they have any influence at all.

Rodger Streitmatter's "Mightier than the Sword" points to 14 moments in American history when the news media wielded enormous power despite equally enormous odds. Some of these moments were golden - Edward R. Murrow's televised stand against Sen. Joe McCarthy, for example, or the Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser's 1927 triumph over the Ku Klux Klan. Some, such as Father Charles E. Coughlin's anti-Semitic radio tirades of the 1930s and 1940s, were tarnished.

In each case, however, the press didn't simply mirror history. "The news media," Streitmatter argues, "shaped American history. Absolutely. Boldly. Proudly. Fervently. Profoundly." Indeed, the author reminds journalists that it is still possible to affect change.

Such influence comes with a price tag.

To understand the costs, Streitmatter mines each of these events, from Sam Adams' call for American independence through the era of the Muckrakers to the talk-radio inspired Republican revolution in the 1990s, for commonalities and clues to how the news media worked. What he found is not terribly surprising, but it comes at an opportune moment to remind journalists of a lesson from their often colorful past. Courage begets change. In many episodes, journalists faced intense criticism, threats and financial crises. In each case they weren't afraid to take positions of leadership.

Streitmatter's book is something of a "greatest hits" collection in journalism history, written in an easy-going style that allows editors to ponder press power without getting bogged down in the minutia of more in-depth studies. His work, however, is well sourced and a nice addition to the historian's collection, covering print, audio and visual journalism.

However, like a "greatest hits" album, Streitmatter's study will leave readers wanting more. Analyzing 14 events in one volume simply does not allow for depth in any singular episode, as the author acknowledges. For example, he blames the mainstream press for helping to slow the women's movement of the mid-1800s by attacking leaders such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. Unfortunately, he either ignores era women's magazines or points only to their opposition to the movement. Other scholars have credited these magazines with providing women their first real voice in the marketplace of ideas. The powerhouse Godey's Lady's Book, edited by Sarah Hale in the mid-1800s, did not favor suffrage, true, but it certainly furthered women's education and employment in medicine and education. Sometimes a second look at the episodes will reveal complexities that the author did not have room to explore.

With that said, however, the author does a remarkable job placing each episode in context and highlighting many of the complex arguments about press influence. He is most compelling when he examines crusades against the Klan by the New York World, The Commercial Appeal of Memphis, Tenn., and the Montgomery Advertiser, showing how the best of journalistic intentions can backfire and how dubious motives can sometimes bring about heroic results.

The strength of "Mightier Than the Sword" is its focus on how the news media shaped America, for better or worse. By collecting these moments in one volume, Streitmatter reminds editors that it is still possible to positively influence their communities, even alter the course of history. It just takes a willingness to put reputations, reporters and, yes, even money on the line if the cause is worthy enough to justify the sacrifice.