Five books for media managers you can listen to

Audio books are not for everyone, but it’s a huge market and an increasingly convenient way to consume books. After all, it might be the surest way to carve some time in your schedule for an important book, which you wouldn’t get to otherwise.

Here is a list of useful books for media managers – with audio versions which you can binge-listen to while multitasking.

News: And How to Use It

By Alan Rusbridger, Piers Hampton (Narrator)

Authored by former editor-in-chief of The Guardian and current top editor of The Prospect, this audiobook explains how to navigate the tumultuous world of news. While you can expect to read about fakes and people’s (mis)trust in the news, Alan Rusbridger does a good job in describing why the news industry is in the shape that it is today. This book is an A to Z guide to modern media and journalism.

Some readers or listeners might find it a bit too detailed because of its explanations of the business side of journalism, but for media professionals, it is a great opportunity to dive into the thoughts and views of one of the leading editors in the UK.

The Powerful and the Damned: Private Diaries in Turbulent Times

By Lionel Barber

Lionel Barber, an English journalist and editor of Financial Times from 2005 to 2020, wrote and voiced his book about his time at the British daily.

In the early 2000s, one of the biggest business news outlets was not in its prime. Advertising revenue was down, and print circulation, particularly in the UK, was falling. Coming to the position of editor in 2005, Barber understood the seriousness of the situation and already showed up with a plan on how to turn it around. One of the steps in that plan was a digital transformation of the media giant.

Not only this book describes FT’s change, it almost reads as a historical guide through more than a decade of political and economic turbulence in the UK and the world. And since the author is also the narrator, at some point you might get a feeling that you get to know Lionel Barber pretty well. 

All About the Story: News, Power, Politics, and the Washington Post 

By Leonard Downie Jr., Robert Petkoff (Narrator) 

In his memoir, Leonard Downie Jr., executive editor of The Washington Post for 17 years, recalls his time at one of the leading American and world newspapers. Unlike other books on this list, you will not hear about the business models, subscriptions or revenue; instead, you will learn about WaPo’s editorial process.

From Watergate to Clinton’s impeachment and more recent scandals in US politics, this book is a great testament to the WaPo’s excellency in the world of journalism. 

Broken News: Why the Media Rage Machine Divides America and How to Fight Back

By Chris Stirewalt 

If you could describe modern U.S. politics and political news media, one of the first words that would come to your mind might be “partisan”. Former Fox News political editor Chris Stirewalt draws a morbid picture of how U.S. news outlets are further dividing audiences because rage is a thing that drives revenue and subscriptions.

Calling it a “rage business model”, Stirewalt argues that media giants were not ready for the challenges of the digital age and fell into the trap of conflict-driven content. Of course, it is ironic to hear this criticism of the current media system from a person who worked for a network which excelled in anger. However, Stirewalt gives a thoughtful analysis of why US mainstream media is in the state it is, without taking sides. Those who watched Chris Stirewalt on TV would be happy to listen to this audiobook because he also voiced it. 

We Are Bellingcat: An Intelligence Agency for the People 

By Eliot Higgins

Who are the people behind Bellingcat, one of the most famous groups of online muckrakers? Eliot Higgins, a founder of Bellingcat, takes the listeners through the past, present and future of this investigative online media.

Higgins describes how his personal interest in OSINT tools and a small blog on the war in Syria turned into an international investigative team that was able to prove Russian involvement in the MH17 crash, uncover FSB operatives behind Alexei Navalny’s poisoning and become a heavyweight in investigative journalism.

The section about Russian disinformation and special operations is especially interesting to read now, during Russia’s war in Ukraine.

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