The Media Balancing Act Starring Brooke Gladstone

By Jacqueline Bello

It is more or less accepted that the media are in the business of influence people, but what influences the media? This question and many more about the world's current media situation are investigated by award-winning journalist and NPR cohost Brooke Gladstone in her graphic non-fiction work titled The Influencing Machine. 

Caption: The front cover of The Influence Machine by Brooke Gladstone
Image Credit: http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/authors/profiles/article/47172-the-influencing-machine.html

In the book, brilliantly illustrated by Josh Neufeld, Gladstone provides a thorough history of influential media. She comments on the good, the bad and almost everything in between. Putting great stress on bias and fairness, Gladstone explains the importance and struggle of aiming for fairness in the media. This idea perhaps shapes her entire argument. 

Josh Neufeld's illustration of Brooke Gladstone as seen in The Influencing Machine. 
Image Credit: http://radiowest.kuer.org/post/influencing-machine

"It' easy to imagine The Influencing Machine becoming mandatory reading in journalism classes around the county" - Dinesh Ramde, Associated Press 

I couldn't agree more with the above statement. Gladstone uses real examples on every page, bringing to life the story she is trying to tell. The words and images are captivating, there is never a dull moment in Gladstone's witty writing. As a college student studying public relations and a communications career hopeful, this book provided a me with a more in depth understanding of the media than any other text book or lecture I have heard. She discusses the importance of each media sector from print media, to broadcast media and public relations. Gladstone brings together every aspect of the media industry, each individual industry, the good parts and the bad parts. 

I would recommend The Influencing Machine to everyone, media professionals, media students and anyone who has ever watched the news or read a newspaper alike. The media influences us all. So why not learn a little bit more about their history, what has led them to be so influential and what it is that influences them? This is a book you will want to read more than once. It will leave you feeling enlightened and educated about the media that influences you everyday.