How the Tape Recorder Killed Journalism

Gay Talese describes the deleterious effects that recording devices, hollowed expense accounts, and an emphasis on 'indoor life' have had on the writing process.

http://bigthink.com/gaytalese

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[Aaberg123]

Next: How video killed the radio star.

[80155907C]

This is an excellent example of Talese rambling.

[MultiSmartass1]

Talese is using the development of the tape recorder as metaphor, symbol and facet of the decline of magazine and newspaper journalism.

The problem is that Tape Recorder was not a game changer in the field of journalism.

What happened is that cost-cutting and the celebrity cultures impacted the magazine industry and newspapers as well.

I should know-I have been a freelance journalist and writer for over 15 years and writing for magazines now, I have never gotten expense accounts.

[manwithouthat44]

this guy is whining a bit, I dont understand how a tape recorder can have such a bad influence on recording.  Without it, dont you have like misquotations an all that. And why cant you do a kind of article on someone where you hang around with the person with a taperecorder. Like a biographer/article maker. Cause the other sound distorts it or something ?

[manwithouthat44]

I was thinking how he has a frank sinatra vibe around him just before he said that hes a sinatra fan and interviewed him.

[wendileona]

@shipiboconibo Intelligent conversation in YouTube comments? Is that what you think you'll find here? If you're smart, you don't go looking of intellectual stimulating debates or conversations... in YouTube comment boxes.

[shipiboconibo]

@wendileona You have nothing of substance to say. Just negativity. I don't mean that as an insult either, just an observation. If you want to speak like an intelligent person I'll continue the conversation, but any sane human that reads the dialog we've had can see you're just acting like a jerk trolling for arguments, not intelligent debate. I don't see why you take my comments as personal attacks and get all bent out of shape. Look in the mirror, your the one acting like a child here.

[wendileona]

@shipiboconibo Oh I feel so left out. How... high school of you. I must be uncool and you, oh so cool with your Twittering "tool". I also call em as I see them, chumps that at the end of of name calling they still put something opposite of their cowardly little offenses.. "peace". Effyou. Oh no wait... no worries. ... no offense... have a nice day kid.

- G

[shipiboconibo]

@wendileona All I'm saying is that if you think Twitter is meant to be consumed as all it's individual little bits of data... you don't know how to use it! You probably have never used a tool for mining the data other than the website itself. That's pretty straight forward. Yes, I insinuated that you may be from a dated generation with such opinions... and you said I should 'learn from my elders', how is my comment worse? haha. Looks like trolling to me! haha. I just call em as I see em. Peace.

[wendileona]

@shipiboconibo No offense... chump hypocrite. If you offend people on purpose by saying they are "trolling" and insinuate they are dated or don't know the tools of the new generation...stand behind your comment. I can comment on 5 year old comments if I want to, or 7 hour ago comments.

Telese's views on technology were about how it may dilute the content, down to little consumable bites, something you may be telling another "new generation" about many years from now. "Twitter! Our Tools!" G

[shipiboconibo]

@Focus7771 The Daily Show being used as a source of news is NOT an example of a dumbed down generation, it's a testament to the crap that has passed for 'news networks' in the USA in the last 10-15 years. I think Fox is a much bigger joke than the Daily Show.