Table of Contents

Introduction: Targeting the Content of Network News National Security and Network News National Security: The New York-Washington Axis Dissecting Network Coverage of National Security Cut That Defense Budget! Weapons That Do Not Work? The Defense Industry: A Scandalous Business? Arms Control: Let's Make a Deal The Foreign Policy Scorecard Why Network Coverage Fell Short The B-2 and Network News: A Case Study in Distortion The Romanian Revolution...Beyond the Images A Few Notes on Network Coverage of the Gulf War Policy-makers Still Read All About It Conclusion: Expertise and Standards Matter Appendix 1: Notes on Methodology Appendix 2: Brief Overview of the Pentagon News-Gathering Operation References Index

Promotional Information

Using journalists' own standards as the measure, an exhaustive analysis of nearly 3000 network news reports from the Reagan, Bush, and Clinton administrations reveals that the networks may do more to misinform than inform on a whole range of complex issues related to national defense.

About the Author

STEPHEN P. AUBIN has specialized in national security affairs for nearly two decades. He has written widely on defense policy and media issues and has held editorial positions at a number of publications, including Military Intelligence Magazine, Defense Media Review, Air Power History, and Strategic Review.

Reviews

"Aubin's well-written book, Distorting Defense: Network News and National Security, should be read by those who desire fully to comprehend how much the CNN effect affects US national defense and security. . . . [C]learly authenticates the problematic coverage of defense and security news." - Military Review

"[A]n easy and rewarding read for people with interests that range from domestic broadcasting to coverage of foreign policy." - Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly

"[T]he book is an analysis of nearly 3000 network news reports from Reagan, Bush, and Clinton administrations on ABC World News Tonight, CBS Evening News, and NBC Nightly News. The author provides nearly a dozen recommendations for improvement, chiefly more specialized and trained reporting." - Communication Booknotes Quarterly