News & newsmaking

For more than two decades Stephen Hess has been called upon to provide thoughtful commentary on Washington government and the media. First admired by journalists and scholars for his ability to explain the complexities of the modern presidency, he has also become a leading authority on the interactions between politicians and the press. Now, as he celebrates his twenty-fifth anniversary at the Brookings Institution, he presents a collection of his best recent essays on the media. Before Stephen Hess began studying Washington journalism in 1977, most books on the subject were reporters' memoirs, interesting more for their analysis of government-press interactions. But the events of the 1970s, notably Watergate, made it obvious that the press was much more important to the governmental process than had been assumed. Hess, an experienced observer of the gathering and dissemination of news in Washington, set out to examine how the press fit into the public life of the capital. Thus began his Newswork series, which has come to include four highly acclaimed books - The Washington Reporters, The Government/Press Connection, The Ultimate Insiders, and Live from Capitol Hill - and his new book International News & Foreign Correspondents. The essays in this book branch out from the original Newswork research to include observations that were first presented in university lectures, magazine articles, and newspaper columns. Among the essays selected are "Leaks and Other Informal Communications," an insider's look at why government officials leak information to journalists; "A Journalism Sex Test," a study of whether it makes any difference if the news is written by men or women; and "I Am on TV Therefore I Am," an examination of the myth of television's power in politics and Congress members' preoccupation with trying to influence news coverage. When Hess began researching the media and newsmaking, he wrote, "Journalists are great fun to study." He has not changed his mind. And, as these essays illustrate, through the years he has brought great understanding, insight, and humor to the subject.