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Author: Drew Curtis
Genre: Nonfiction
Rating: **** (4 Stars)
Summary
Have you ever uttered the words, “Must be a slow news day?” Have you ever been disgusted with the level of coverage minor or irrelevant events receive? Are you tired of hearing about the latest celebrity political comment, verbal gaffe, or drunk driving arrest?
According to the author, “Fark is what fills space when mass media runs out of news. It’s not news, it’s Fark. Fark is supposed to look like news…but it’s not news.” It’s Not News, It’s FARK is an in depth, yet humorous look at why Mass Media so often delivers inaccurate, rehashed, or just pointless information. The book is based around eight trends Curtis has noticed in mainstream media, including Media Fearmongering, Headlines Contradicted by Actual Article, Equal Time for Nutjobs, and the Out-of-Context Celebrity Comment. He devotes a chapter to each trend, complete with examples from real news stories, then concludes by discussing what needs to change in order for traditional media outlets to survive and better serve their customers.
