{"product_id":"the-trust-spiral-why-the-media-needs-objectivity-hardback-9781509570935","title":"The Trust Spiral; Why the Media Needs Objectivity (Hardback) 9781509570935","description":"\u003cfont face=\"Georgia\"\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"6\"\u003eThe Trust Spiral\u003c\/font\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003cfont size=\"5\"\u003eWhy the Media Needs Objectivity\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"4\"\u003eTara Henley (Author)\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e9781509570935, Polity Press\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eHardback, published 29 May 2026\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e128 pages\u003cbr\u003e22.1 x 14.5 x 1.5 cm, 0.68 kg\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Tara Henley has been one of the sanest voices in English-speaking media during the past decade of chaos and decline, from the election of Donald Trump in 2016 to the upheavals of #MeToo, the racial reckoning, and the broader ideological capture of journalistic institutions by social justice activists less interested in truth-seeking than moral evangelism. Part memoir, part manifesto, part autopsy, \u003ci\u003eThe Trust Spiral\u003c\/i\u003e is the clearest account yet of journalism's crisis of confidence and what can be done to fix it.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eThomas Chatterton Williams, \u003ci\u003eThe Atlantic\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Public trust in the media is at rock-bottom across the Anglosphere. In her evocative and fast-paced book, \u003ci\u003eThe Trust Spiral\u003c\/i\u003e, leading Canadian podcaster Tara Henley persuasively argues that journalism's shift from objectivity to identity moralism underlies the crisis. The profession's growing ideological and class homogeneity, fired by the activist mindset of many elite young journalism graduates, produced an echo chamber that was no longer able to sort fact from fiction or proportionally cover the news. Her compelling, patiently documented account takes us on a tour through the most high-profile failures of her profession in the era of the Great Awokening. Far from holding power to account, the new journalism gave a pass to those in power as long as they were on the right side, alienating many in the public while fuelling polarization. While some correction has begun, much more is needed to right the ship. \u003ci\u003eThe Trust Spiral\u003c\/i\u003e is a must-read for anyone concerned about the state of our public conversation.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eEric Kaufmann, The University of Buckingham\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"The decline of objectivity in journalism has been a tragedy, both for our country and for the media itself. Tara Henley's new book lucidly explains how and why this has happened. An essential analysis.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eRuy Teixeira, American Enterprise Institute and co-author, \u003ci\u003eWhere Have All the Democrats Gone?\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Tara Henley has written a persuasive, fact-filled account of how the legacy media shattered due to groupthink, bias and technological change. Her prescription: the revival of journalistic neutrality. \u003ci\u003eThe Trust Spiral\u003c\/i\u003e is an important read, informed by Henley's newsroom insight and her work reporting from the front lines.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eUri Berliner, freelance journalist, and contributing editor to \u003ci\u003eFree Press\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Tara Henley is a prize. In a polarized age, she is fair-minded. In an angry age, she is temperate. In an age of hot takes, she is thoughtful and judicious. Having observed the news business from both the inside and the outside and the United States from across the border in Canada, she is among the writers whom I trust the most to help me understand the ongoing disaster of American journalism.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWilliam Deresiewicz, author of \u003ci\u003eExcellent Sheep and The End of Solitude\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Carefully, methodically, citing sources, Henley builds her case in this forensic autopsy of what killed newsrooms. The result is excellent. She even pinpoints the date.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eBlackLocks\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e Reporter\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Of all that's been written and said over the last decade about the erosion of public trust in the media, Tara Henley's \u003ci\u003eThe Trust Spiral\u003c\/i\u003e is the sharpest and most concise critique I've encountered. I've long admired Henley as a podcaster; she is a gifted interviewer and an exceptionally honest broker amid a sea of partisans. In this volume, her dexterity and depth as a writer and thinker are on full display as she explains the seemingly inexplicable. I want to give a copy to everyone I know.\"\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eMeghan Daum, host of \u003ci\u003eThe Unspeakeasy\u003c\/i\u003e and author of \u003ci\u003eThe Problem With Everything: My Journey Through The New Culture Wars\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTrust in the media has hit a record low. Reasons offered for this breakdown are varied, and include the rise of social media, rhetorical attacks from hostile politicians, misinformation, and bad actors online. While these factors may indeed be contributing, such explanations lack self-reflection on media leaders' part – and are, in fact, out of step with the public’s actual feedback.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJournalist Tara Henley argues that the media's alarmed reaction to the first election of Donald Trump – throwing out journalistic standards and practices, including objectivity – kicked off a trust spiral that continues to this day. The economic precarity of the industry set the stage, with the media in a profoundly weakened state when Trump came along – most critically, failing to properly train the next generation in the rigors of journalism or provide them with a clear path to personal success and financial stability. To restore trust in the media, Henley contends, we must admit mistakes in coverage, publicly reaffirm the value of objectivity, and get back to the basics of objective journalistic practices. Fundamentally, we need to reorient the industry around public service. This will include discarding condescending views about the public, particularly the working class. The time has come to depoliticize our newsrooms – and Henley, through extensive research and reporting, offers practical strategies that can make this achievable.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003ePrologue\u003cbr\u003e1. An Existential Crisis\u003cbr\u003e2. A Failing Business Model\u003cbr\u003e3. A Great Awokening\u003cbr\u003e4. A Leadership Vacuum\u003cbr\u003e5. A Rejection of Objectivity\u003cbr\u003e6. A Failure to Acknowledge Mistakes\u003cbr\u003e7. A Failure to Insulate the Media from Power\u003cbr\u003e8. A Fork in the Road\u003cbr\u003e9. The Future of News\u003cbr\u003eAfterword\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eAcknowledgements\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eNotes\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eSubject Areas: Society \u0026amp; culture: general [\u003ca title=\"See our other books on Society \u0026amp; culture: general\" href=\"https:\/\/freshlyprintedbooks.co.uk\/search?q=%22Society%20\u0026amp;%20culture:%20general%20%5BJF%5D%22\"\u003eJF\u003c\/a\u003e]\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003c\/font\u003e","brand":"Polity","offers":[{"title":"Brand New","offer_id":52460626411800,"sku":"9781509570935","price":15.69,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0730\/2037\/5320\/files\/9781509570935.jpg?v=1785456091","url":"https:\/\/freshlyprintedbooks.co.uk\/products\/the-trust-spiral-why-the-media-needs-objectivity-hardback-9781509570935","provider":"Freshly Printed Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}