September 22, 2004
The Right and the Media
I am in the middle of this book and was not going to review it until I had finished, a date pushed even further into the future because I mislaid it after the first 100 pages and only recently found it. However, recent events at CBS warrant letting you know about it now.
As you all know, blogs forced CBS' hand. In addition, blogs were fast and CBS (as well as the other mainstream media) were slow to react. Don't think this is a new phenomenom. This book has the history.
Martin Luther used the printing press and the Catholic Church was slow to react. So the written materials largely reflected the views of the Reformation. In the American Revolution, pamphleeters sparked the cause and there was little available supporting the opposing views of the monarchy.
This book mostly focuses on how the conservatives starting with Goldwater in the time of the liberal Republicanism of Nelson Rockefeller used direct mail to make an end run around the mainstream media and get their message to the public. One of the authors pioneered the direct mail movement and tells the story from his viewpoint. It's a fascinating read including vignettes such as Ronald Reagan responding belatedly to a request because the letter, now crayon-bedecked was found in Ronnie Jr.'s toy box.
There are a few gratutious insults volleyed at the left but overlook them if that's your bent. The information on process here is invaluable.
Other reviews are available at Red State (and also here) and Blogcritics, by people more organized than I, who have gotten through the whole thing.
You can click on the book to buy it.