Customer Reviews:
Well-informed analysis of the TV news industry.......2004-12-08
More than just a manual on "how to watch TV news", this book explains the commercial and financial basis of the TV industry, and shows why news coverage plays such a central role in TV. At 168 pages it is by no means lengthy, and can easily be read in a day; but there are still parts that you can skip without much loss - for instance, the chapter that tells you exactly who does what in a typical TV news studio. On the other hand, it is all quite interesting, and the authors back up their conclusions with solid facts.
Postman and Powers are by no means against TV as a news medium, but they warn us to use it intelligently and with full awareness of its biases, strengths and weaknesses. For instance, they point out that TV is intrinsically serial: a programme unwinds at a constant pace, and all the viewers see all of it (unless they go off to make a cup of coffee). Newspapers, on the other hand, can offer far more (and more varied) information, because each reader can select what he or she finds interesting. The sheer cost of time makes a difference, too - as of 1992, when this book was published, one hour of news cost $500,000 to produce. With each second being worth well over $100, "dead time" is a no-no, and long explanations (i.e. over about 10 seconds) are undesirable. This leads to a superficial style, heavy on pictures and short on meaningful analysis.
The authors make some trenchant points. "American television is an unsleeping money machine"; "...fires make a good subject for television news"; "Actually to see buildings topple is exciting..." They even argue that TV commercials offer a form of religious communication. Whereas gluttony is one of the seven deadly sins, commercials assure us that we can right on engaging in it: just don't forget to buy the right antacid pills.
Anyway, do we really need to watch as much TV as we do? Postman and Powers note that, by the end of high school, the average American has spent more time watching TV than in school! TV news can be seen as addictive; we don't really need to know most of what it tells us, but once we start getting sucked in, it is hard to stop coming back for further fixes. Just like soap operas, in fact!
Any Way You Look at it, TV is Bad.......2004-07-08
In his previous books, Neil Postman has made some excellent observations about society. I am particularly a fan of his book "Amusing Ourselves to Death". In this work, Postman evaluates the televised media in "How to Watch TV News". Much like his other works, he raises some important points.
News programs are typically filled with a collection of tidbits for a period of time slightly longer than fifteen minutes. The new items are chosen largely on whether they will draw viewers which in turn will draw advertising dollars. The advertising dollars pay the TV news media. So it is not really important what is covered in the news so much as what news will draw ratings.
The content of the news is another issue. In reality, we get the the cliff notes version of the news. We only receive part of the picture. We lack a lot of the background information necessary to make judgements. Because we lack a lot of the information, we are vulnerable to the any bias injected by the news reporter or news station. One of the main points of the book is that we need to read newspapers and magazines to stay informed. Without supplemental information or complete picture, we lack the ability to make an informed judgment. Printed news allows us to select the important stories and eliminate the irrelevant stories. This is an option we don't have with television news.
Postman goes through further scenarios that TV affects. Particularly the chapter that deals with the effects of news on children is enlightening. Even though the material is somewhat dated, Channel One programming is also addressed as part of this discussion. Overall, Postman makes an informed and intelligent statement with this book.
You cannot afford not to read it ..........2002-03-15
After being almost 3 years in the business of dealing professionally with the press, both printed and electronic, I would say that most of the things that you read in this amazing book seem somehow 'obvious'. Yet, it is what's 'obvious' that passes unattended. It is because even the professionals in this business, (actually especially the professionals in this business) operate without questioning the very principals of the trade: 'What's 'news' really? Why choosing this particular form of presenting them on TV? What is it that we are aiming for? What's hidden behind?
I think that reading this book makes a better TV viewer, may be a better journalist, possibly a better citizen.
A Slap at the News Media Systems.......2000-11-07
This is a great effort on the part of Neil Postman and Steve Powers. Postman is a media scholar who has written numerous books, and Powers is a journalist who knows first hand how media works. These two authors have the guts to take on the news media, a system made up of the biggest pack of liars outside of the Democratic Party. This book is a no-holds barred look at how news is manufactored and presented to the public. The book begins by defining news and then presents detailed accounts of how news is created. The book also looks at how commercials work in the scheme of things. There are also sections on television in the court room and an examination of how language and pictures can be used to distort news.
I found three items of particular interest in this book. The first was how the authors looked at commercials. As most know, the main aim of television is to sell. As cigarettes are a delivery device for nicotine, so television is for commercials. Since most of us have seen thousands of commercials, we have stopped viewing them objectively. This book has examined commercials, and it delivers a stinging indictment of them. Most effective is the view, presented by the authors, that commercials are a form of religious parable. A parable teaches people how to live the good life. The commercial, like a parable, has a beginning, a definition of a problem in the middle, and then a solution to the problem at the end. Unlike real life, the commercial teaches us that the answers to all problems are fast and easy, and are readily available at the local store. Hard work and patience mean nothing in the advertising world.
Secondly, the book also looks at how corporations have taken over televison and turned news programs into a source of profit. This profit comes, of course, at the expense of truth and responsibility. What is of particular interest is how much some of the anchors and others involved in the news media make millions of dollars in salaries. The authors find this a problem. They quote former CBS News president Fred Friendly (great name, wouldn't you say?) who believed that no one in news should be making more money than members of Congress or the President of the United States. Friendly called it, "unhealthy, unacceptable, and unethical". What's more, the corporate attitude of making profit at the expense of all else has led to the pooling of various media outlets. The authors see this as extremely dangerous, as it limits the sources of news made available to the public.
Finally, I was floored by the examination of the actual news programs given in the book. The authors point out that news teams are made of people who are meant to ape the structure of a family. The role of Mom and Dad are played by the anchors, who usually are a man and woman. The sportscaster and weatherman usually play the role of the silly kids. And even more sickening, this "family" is always presented as being happy. They all get along with each other and everyone knows their place. Most people probably wouldn't have a problem with this kind of arrangement. But remember, this is supposed to be news. It is how we form opinions of the events that shape our lives, and ultimately are descendent's lives. This shouldn't be some role playing game. It's serious business, and all of the little games that the media play seriously degrade our ability to make important decisions.
There are always a few downfalls with any book, and this one is no different. There are some annoying errors in the text which an editor should have caught. This might be nitpicky, but it is noticeable. Also, the book is too short for such an important topic. Still, I highly recommend this book to anyone who is concerned about getting the truth.
A WHOLE NEW VIEW.......1999-09-28
PHENOMENAL. SIMPLE YET COMPLEX. MUST 4 THE MILLENIAL. READ THIS + WATCH AND SEE. BEST TEXT OF SEM.
Average customer rating:
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How to Watch TV News. (book reviews): An article from: ETC.: A Review of General Semantics
William E., Jr. Coleman
Manufacturer: International Society for General Semantics
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This digital document is an article from ETC.: A Review of General Semantics, published by International Society for General Semantics on June 22, 1993. The length of the article is 457 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: How to Watch TV News. (book reviews)
Author: William E., Jr. Coleman
Publication:
ETC.: A Review of General Semantics (Refereed)
Date: June 22, 1993
Publisher: International Society for General Semantics
Volume: v50
Issue: n2
Page: p235(2)
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
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This digital document is an article from Scholastic Choices, published by Scholastic, Inc. on September 1, 2003. The length of the article is 572 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: TV news reporter: ever watch the news on TV and think, "I want to be a news reporter someday?" Here's how to make that goal possible starting right now!(careers)
Author: Russell Bart
Publication:
Scholastic Choices (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 1, 2003
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
Volume: 19
Issue: 1
Page: 26(2)
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Average customer rating:
- Good Network Geek Stuff
- Great for administrators
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Active Directory Bible (With CD-ROM)
Curt Simmons
Manufacturer: Wiley
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Active Directory for Dummies
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Windows Server 2003 Security Bible
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Active Directory Field Guide
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Windows Server 2003 Bible
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Active Directory, 3rd Edition
ASIN: 0764547623 |
Book Description
With the release of Windows 2000, Microsoft introduced an entirely new approach to networking involving directory services. IT professionals are now responsible for designing a Windows 2000 Active Directory infrastructure, implementing it, maintaining it, and using Windows 2000 support technologies. This comprehensive Bible gives you all the knowledge necessary to successfully plan, deploy, and maintain an Active Directory network.
Customer Reviews:
Good Network Geek Stuff.......2001-06-04
Great book for the Network Administrator. Layed out like the "for dummies" series, but doesn't say "For Dummies" so you don't have to be embarrassed to have it on your bookshelf at work. It is very simple and easy to read. Each appendix is a Windows 2000 roll-out scenario complete with screen shots of each wizard box. I like this book and I'm sure I'll be referring to it often.
Great for administrators.......2001-01-24
Very focused on administration and management - very easy to read. The chapters on site design and configuration and replication are worth the price of the book. If you're justing starting to learn AD, start with this book. It's clear and orderly.
Book Description
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- 1200 Screenshots
- The Revolutionary Way to Learn
Customer Reviews:
The worst windows 2000 book I've read to date.......2001-07-25
This book has been very poorly edited with numerous typos in the text and the illustrations which make it confusing and frustrating to read - I would hesitate to buy another book from this publisher again. Buy something else instead - this isn't worth the price.
Good way to learn AD.......2000-08-30
I read Curt Simmons'Creating Active Directory Infrastructures book and bought this one as well. This book is very easy to read and covers AD in a visual way. The book crawls all over the AD tools and shows you how to and why to configure this or that. It also has info about design and planning as well as DNS, DHCP, and other networking services. It's kind of a different way to learn a high level topic, but I liked it, and it will be a great reference book.
Book Description
This updated edition of the best-selling 70-219 Exam Cram will help you pass one of the four core design exams in the MCSE 2000 certification program. This book isn't intended to teach you new material or go over every detail like a large study guide does. Instead it assumes that you have a solid foundation of knowledge but could use a refresher on important concepts as well as a guide to exam topics and objectives. The book features test-taking strategies, time-saving study tips, and a special Cram Sheet that includes tips, acronyms, and memory joggers not available anywhere else. The Cram Sheet is especially useful for last-minute review on test day.
The CD features PrepLogic™ Practice Tests, Preview Edition. This product includes one complete PrepLogic Practice Test with approximately the same number of questions found on the actual vendor exam. Each question contains full, detailed explanations of the correct and incorrect answers. The engine offers two study modes, Practice Test and Flash Review, full exam customization, and a detailed score report.
The best-selling Exam Cram 2 series is supported online at examcram.com, offering industry news, study tips, practice questions, and discussion forums. Each book is published under the direction of Series Editor Ed Tittel, the leading authority on IT certification. This book has been subjected to rigorous technical review by a team of industry experts, ensuring content is superior in both coverage and technical accuracy, and has earned the distinction of Cramsession™ Approved Study Material.
Download Description
This updated edition of the best-selling 70-219 Exam Cram will help you pass one of the four core design exams in the MCSE 2000 certification program. This book isn't intended to teach you new material or go over every detail like a large study guide does. Instead it assumes that you have a solid foundation of knowledge but could use a refresher on important concepts as well as a guide to exam topics and objectives. The book features test-taking strategies, time-saving study tips, and a special Cram Sheet that includes tips, acronyms, and memory joggers not available anywhere else. The Cram Sheet is especially useful for last-minute review on test day. The best-selling Exam Cram 2 series is supported online at examcram.com, offering industry news, study tips, practice questions, and discussion forums. Each book is published under the direction of Series Editor Ed Tittel, the leading authority on IT certification. This book has been subjected to rigorous technical review by a team of industry experts, ensuring content is superior in both coverage and technical accuracy, and has earned the distinction of Cramsession Approved Study Material. This ebook does not include the CD that accompanies the print edition.
Customer Reviews:
Examcram 70-219 - money well spent........2005-07-20
I reciently bought Examcram 70-219...
1. First class book.
2. I was luck to pass 70-219 first time. I'm now MCSE.
3. If you are doing exam 70-219 then buy Examcram 70-219. Don't
buy 70-296 thinking it will be good for exams 219 and 296
- it won't. (Not contradicting myself, having passes 219 I
have now bought Examcram 70-296).
4. (This was the first time I have used Amazon.)
Amazon's shipment tracking system - keeping me updated of
shipment progress was excelent. Delivery was timley.
5. Not oftem I give 5/5 but in this case it was waranted.
Bob Jackson.
Book Description
With MICROSOFT WINDOWS 2000 ACTIVE DIRECTORY PROGRAMMING, developers get the hardcore, hands-on guidance they need to fully exploit the network directory services in the Windows 2000 operating system. The book delivers a concise, conceptual introduction to the technology, then plunges into the how-to's for building powerful distributed applications that use the Active Directory service and the Active Directory Service Interfaces (ADSI). Developers working with the Microsoft Visual C++ and Visual Basic development environments get practical instruction on how to "directory enable" their Windows applications-including how to take advantage of Active Directory support in Active Server Pages. Network administrators will find useful coverage and examples geared to their needs, learning how to use ADSI with Windows Scripting and VBScript to automate common administrative tasks. Each chapter examines a different facet of programming with Active Directory, with code samples suitable for real-world applications. All the book's code is packed onto the companion CD-ROM, along with the ADSI Software Developer Kit and helpful utilities so readers can study and reuse them in their own projects.
Customer Reviews:
Only one problem with this book, It need a security Chain........2005-01-08
I have found only one problem with this book. It needs a security chain built in to lock it to my desk. It has an annoying tendency to get barrowed when I am not ask my desk.
I would suggest that Amazon bundles it with "how to train your Doberman to guard your computer books"
I would recommend that any who likes this book, check out Charles Oppermanns other book that is the sequel of this integrated with dot.net. It is here at Amazon under the title "Programming Directory Services with Microsoft .Net and Xml".
The only problem is that Microsoft canceled it.
Maybe if enough of us ask for them to release it....
I have taken a lot of information in this book and integrated it with dot.net on my own. But it's my belief that we need the Sequel.
Joe.
First look at Active Directory.......2003-07-15
This is an expert guide with excellent examples. I would have
liked sample code in one language. Not enough information on COM
(BSTR) and LDAP.
Microsoft Windows 2000 Active Directory Programming.......2003-07-07
As a newcommer to ADSI by being "thrown into the arena" by the departure of another programmer, I found this book to be an excellent starting point to not only clear up problems I was having with my "inherited" programs, but also by seeing the power of AD and how to work with it programmatically, I was given ideas for additional features in existing programs and also for a couple of new tools to make life for our help desk people a bit easier.
Great book!.......2002-12-05
I recently needed a book to get started doing some ADSI programming, this helped me achieve what I needed.
Flawed by a lack of focus.......2002-04-10
There is a lot of good AD information in this book, but a lack of focus makes you wade through too much extraneous information. The author continually get sidetracked, for instance two pages are spent discussing Visual Basic's On Error mechanism and a straightforward error reporting function; a full page on how C++ handles strings with _TCHAR; too much time explaining Windows Scripting Host, including emphasis boxes; etc. This 417 page book could have imparted the same AD knowledge in about 300 pages.
Finally, my plea to all future authors - enough with the 5-20 page explanation of COM. If someone is not a COM developer yet, your mini-thesis is not going to make the difference. There are plenty of excellent texts for new developers. This author takes it to the extreme, continually going over fundamental COM issues (BSTR's, FAILED(), etc.) throughout the book. Choose a target audience, preferrably a COM knowledgeable developer, and focus all explanations on that target audience.
All that being said, it's not a bad book, it just pressed all my personal hot buttons repeatedly.
Average customer rating:
- extensive AD reference, great guides
|
Active Directory Developer's Reference Library
Series Editor David Iseminger
Manufacturer: Microsoft Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Microsoft Windows 2000 Active Directory Programming
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ASIN: 0735609926 |
Book Description
Active Directory services is the hub around which everything in a Microsoft Windows(r) 2000-based network turns, allowing developers to do things with applications that simply weren't possible before. The five books in the MICROSOFT ACTIVE DIRECTORY DEVELOPER'S REFERENCE LIBRARY provide the in-depth documentation developers need to make the most of this exciting new enabling technology. The books document Active Directory Service Interfaces (ADSI) version 2.5-the latest version of the Active Directory services API. A key part of the Microsoft Programming Reference series, this is a well-conceived, deliberate, value-added collection that organizes information about Active Directory services in a sensible fashion, maintains consistency with electronic and online documentation, and contains appropriate information from the Microsoft Platform SDK-all of which make this library the most focused source of printed reference materials available about Active Directory services.
Customer Reviews:
extensive AD reference, great guides.......2000-03-31
The reference information in this library is very useful and complete, but I was pleasantly surprised to see how much hands-on development information is provided as well. Since Microsoft's Active Directory is relatively new, I needed the combination of guides + reference to get up to speed with AD programming/scripting. This library provided both. The schema book, with its chapters on extending the schema and complete class/attribute listing, rounded out this reference as a must-have for people programming or scripting Active Directory. The AD glossary is a plus, too.
Average customer rating:
|
MCSE Training Kit: Migrating to Active Directory; Exam 70-272
Microsoft Corporation , and
Microsoft Corporation
Manufacturer: Microsoft Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0735615802 |
Book Description
This official MCSE TRAINING KIT teaches IT professionals how to migrate a domain-based Windows NT 4.0 network to an Active Directory-based Windows 2000 or Windows .NET network. The kit also prepares them for MCP Exam 70-272, a core requirement on the MCSE track. Using an integrated system of skill-building tutorials and hands-on exercises, students develop real-world system expertise-as they prepare for the certification exam.
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|
The Active Directory: Administration, Security and Migration
Roger Abell ,
Inc. Banyan Systems , and
Richard Taha
Manufacturer: Que
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0789722100 |
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