Media circus

Howard Kurtz, who covers the media for The Washington Post, was once named America's top media reporter by the American Journalism Review. Drawing on years of watching the press from the inside, he examines how newspapers have mishandled major stories. His case studies run from the Gulf War and the Gennifer Flowers affair to the nominations of Clarence Thomas and Zoe Baird.

Kurtz goes behind the scenes to show how reporters and editors arrive at the coverage readers see, and where that process goes wrong. He does not spare the conventions of his own newsroom, questioning assumptions that the profession rarely examines.

This edition adds a new chapter, written for it, on the up-and-down press coverage of the Clinton White House. The book suits readers interested in journalism, political reporting and the ethics of the news business.