Description

A society that isn’t sure what’s true can’t function, but increasingly we no longer seem to know who or what to believe. We’re barraged by a torrent of lies, half-truths and propaganda: how do we even identify good journalism any more?

At a moment of existential crisis for the news industry, in our age of information chaos, News and How to Use It shows us how. From Bias to Snopes, from Clickbait to TL;DR, and from Fact-Checkers to the Lamestream Media, here is a definitive user’s guide for how to stay informed, tell truth from fiction and hold those in power accountable in the modern age.

Publisher Review

Given that Rusbridger is, in my opinion, one of the two great newspaper editors of the past half-century (the other is the late Harry Evans), anything he writes about the press is going to be worth reading . . . Many of the mini-essays are useful distillations of his experience in, and knowledge of, the industry * * Guardian * * If you are interested in the mechanics of the news, especially related to the times we are living in, going through and set to go through, then this book is a must -- NIHAL ARTHANAYAKE, BBC [Rusbridger] was one of the stand-out editors of his generation and it shows in his book: an astute and agreeably random canter through the imperfect world of journalism in Britain and America . . . erudite * * Financial Times * * An agreeable and very worthwhile book. It invites you to think and question. It is informative and entertaining * * Scotsman * * Smart, relevant and punchy . . . a powerful light in the darkness * * Evening Standard * * Captivating . . . a compelling tour d'horizon of the trade * * Guardian * * An important book for anyone concerned about the erosion of trust in society * * Church Times * * Praise for Breaking News: [Rusbridger] has written a book of breathtaking range . . . The brilliant Breaking News is essential - and entertaining - reading -- SIR HAROLD EVANS * * Observer * * I particularly enjoyed Alan Rusbridger's Breaking News - in places it's as exciting as a thriller (and the good guys win) but it also gave me a new understanding of the difficulties that now confront good journalism -- HENRY MARSH * * New Statesman, Best Books of 2018 * * Just when we were feeling lost in the dark labyrinth of fake news and journalism in crisis, Alan Rusbridger lights his torch and leads the way. Essential -- STEVE COOGAN