Monitoring The News: The Brilliant Launch And Sudden Collapse Of The Monitor Channel: The Brilliant Launch And Sudden Collapse Of The Monitor Channel

Monitoring the News: The Brilliant Launch and Sudden Collapse of the Monitor Channel: The Brilliant Launch and Sudden Collapse of the Monitor Channel

From BooklistBridge covers the complex intersection of business and journalism in this probing study of the Monitor Channel--the 24-hour news and public affairs operation formed by Boston's First Church of Christ Scientist, publisher of the respected Christian Science Monitor. Bridge was trained as a social scientist; she also cofounded and helped run a small regional cable network during the time the Monitor Channel was operating (late '80s through '92). In assessing the Monitor Channel's work and the causes of its demise, Bridge pursues larger questions: Can a quality news and public information operation make a profit in the current marketplace? If not, to whom can the American people turn for information they need? She starts with a survey of the broadcast news business from 1920 to 1985; then examines the opportunities and challenges facing a declining national newspaper in the '80s; and finally traces the Monitor Channel decision, its implementation, and the obstacles and opposition it faced. A media case study with disturbing implications. Mary CarrollIn her colorful insider's account, Susan Bridge analyzes the bitter struggle that ensued when a sophisticated entrepreneurial leadership tried to diversify and reposition "The Christian Science Monitor" beyond the failing newspaper into radio, the Internet, multimedia publishing, and -- the highest-ticket item of all -- The Monitor Channel, a CNN-style, 24-hour news and public affairs channel. Using the Monitor's story as a focus, Susan Bridge raises fundamental questions about how and whether the public's interest can be served in an age of spiraling costs, competition between print and electronic media, changing public tastes, and undeclared media wars.From Library JournalIn the late 1980s, new leadership in the Christian Science Church's publishing arm recognized that the readership of their Christian Science Monitor newspaper had peaked and its operating deficits would continue indefinitely. To reach a wider audience more efficiently, they began employing radio and television. Ultimately, this led to the 1991 launch of their 24-hour cable news Monitor Channel. Bridge, a former Monitor employee, has written this history of its development, launch, and 1992 collapse. She concludes that in comparison with CNN in its early years, Monitor's programming, audience, and financial plan were all sufficient. Bridge argues that the channel's failure was due primarily to internal resistance to television as a medium coupled with a campaign of misinformation by the rival Boston Globe. Thoroughly documented, this well-written study is highly recommended for all libraries and essential for all communications collections.?Lawrence Maxted, Gannon Univ. Lib., Erie, PACopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.About the AuthorSusan Bridge taught political science at Wesleyan University.