Anya Shiffrin, ed., Media Capture: How Money, Digital Platforms, and Governments Control the News

Abstract

stronger if any reasons were offered why the Guardian should, in fact, take a more overtly activist stance. It is, after all, a mainstream news outlet, serving millions of readers not only in the United Kingdom but also around the world with a mix of news, opinion, consumer information, lifestyle stories and the myriad other bits that satisfy its audience and enable it to stay in business, employ its journalists and continue to perform its important social role. Why would a lurch to the far left be desirable—journalistically, financially or even morally? In the end, I found the volume frequently provocative and occasionally informative, but largely unsatisfying. Most of the authors are far better at conveying outrage than at suggesting what, exactly, the Guardian should do instead or why its writers and editors should do it.