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This week, On the Media is dedicating the entire show to one of our favorite topics – books. From Oprah's Book Club to the Google Library Project, the way we buy, search, read and even discuss books is changing. And so we begin with a look at some of the forces now tugging at the industry.
Last week, Amazon unveiled a new electronic book reader whose display incorporates digital ink technology and looks remarkably like paper. Michael McCreary of E-Ink Corporation hopes that consumers will finally give up the dead-tree version of books.
But the death of paper has been predicted for decades now. Bill Powers, media critic for the National Journal, believes that paper isn’t just an old habit, but rather an advanced technology that is nearly impossible to improve upon.
A management consultant dreamed of instantly printing books. An editor dreamed of selling classics that are hard to find in megastores. Together they created the Espresso Book Machine. Their only obstacle: glue. Daniel J. Kramer reports on the ATM machine for literature.
Book review sections around the country are facing fewer pages, shorter reviews and pressure to include best sellers. But does anyone care? Steve Wasserman, former editor of the Los Angeles Times book section, does. He says book reviews are struggling for survival.
Two new translations of Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace came out this fall. It seems everyone agrees that the 460,000-word novel is a masterpiece, but does anyone actually read it? Newsweek's Malcolm Jones says it's worth your time.
We asked and we received. Two weeks and 1,000+ entries later, we conclude our novel challenge with a reading of our favorite 12-word novels submitted by you.
Highlights from Past Shows
For the past few months, the number of both Iraqi civilian and U.S. military casualties has dropped significantly. The numbers don't add up to victory yet, but some criticize the media for failing to report the trend. Bob takes a look at the coverage.
Robert Mukasey was confirmed this week as attorney general. The process moved the definition of waterboarding into the spotlight. As media struggle to find out what the interrogation technique entails, the working definition has been "simulated drowning." But those who've experienced and performed it say it is drowning. Two newspaper editors weigh in.
On the Media is funded by The Bydale Foundation, The Ford Foundation, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the Overbrook Foundation.
