From Whistle Stop to Sound Bite : Four Decades of Politics and Television

Sig Mickelson, former president of CBS News and pioneer in television coverage of political events, gives an eyewitness account of Television's complicated interaction with the U.S. political system. From Whistle Stop to Sound Bite explores the origins of the relationship between television and politics and offers an analysis of the factors that led to the decline of substance in the political campaign. With a fine eye for detail and many years of political coverage experience behind him, Mickelson probes four decades of TV history and defines the changes that this new media has wrought on the political scene. Television and politics would seem to have been made for each other, Sig Mickelson was there as a major figure at their first meeting. It might be said he introduced them. Here is his carefully documented account of their frequently stormy courtship--and his cogent analysis of the flaws and dangers in the unbreakable marriage. The book is fascinating, profound, and important. Walter Cronkite ... a superb and useful study that substantially informs our understanding of the role of television and modern politics. Everette E. Dennis ... an important book--filled with insight, wisdom, and value. Newton Minnow Sig Mickelson, former president of CBS News and pioneer in television coverage of political events, gives an eyewitness account of television's complicated interation with the U.S. political system. From Whistle Stop to Sound Bite explores the origins of the relationship between television and politics and offers an analysis of the factors that led to the decline of substance in the political campaign. With a fine eye for detail and many years of political coverage experience behind him, Mickelson probes four decades of TV history and defines the changes that this new media has wrought on the political scene: bright hopes for debate that were dimmed as candidates took control of the media machinery; the weakening of the party structure as television, rather t