Avoiding the News

Reviews / Votes

This is urgent, necessary reading for anyone in the business of news, for anyone who cares about the news, and for anyone who wants to ensure a future of fair access to knowledge and information for all. We ignore this meticulously researched and empathetically reported book at our own peril. -- Melissa Bell, publisher of Vox Media News avoiders are one of the most neglected topics in communications research, yet listening to and understanding them may be absolutely crucial for the health of democratic culture. This precisely grounded, sociologically rigorous, and searching three-country study sets completely new standards for pursuing this elusive topic. -- Nick Couldry, London School of Economics and Political Science This is a beautifully written book that teaches us so much about the nature of our relationships to news by looking in closely at the lives and understandings of people who choose to avoid it. -- Katherine Cramer, University of Wisconsin-Madison This book is a wide-ranging investigation of not only the quantitative data about news avoidance but also, most importantly, the sentiments of those who have opted out of quality journalism. If journalists want to regain these readers, then it is crucial that we understand them first. This book serves as an important first step. -- Clara Jimenez Cruz, CEO of Maldita.es and chair of the European Fact-Checking Standards Network A deep dive into the complicated reasons that people distrust the news. A must-read for any journalist who wants to serve the people, meaning all the people-not just their friends and colleagues. -- Amanda Ripley, <i>Washington Post</i> columnist Highly recommended. * Choice Reviews * The novelty of this book lies in its exploration of consistent news avoidance and its implications for democracy, as well as its methodological contribution to the field of media studies. It offers an in-depth explanation of the phenomenon of news avoidance. * Journal of Communication Inquiry * This book takes a key step toward trying to understand audiences who, quite simply, do not see journalistic work as essential. * News Research Journal * This is a clearly written and thought-provoking book which will prove accessible for journalists as well as scholars. * Journalism * Makes an important contribution to journalism studies by expanding the discussion on news consumption beyond traditional areas like trust in news and media literacy. * Mass Communication and Society * The book is a good read and makes a wholesome contribution to the literature. * H-JHistory * Toff, Palmer, and Nielsen find and share personal answers to their questions, as well as patterns of behavior, socialization, and shared perceptions of what the news is and how it fails to serve everyone. The results, depending on the reader's point of view and investments in the field of journalism, are at least worrying and perhaps even depressing. This said, the authors' findings demand attention. * International Journal of Communication *