In 1964, at age 22, Len Downie joined the Washington Post as an intern. He became a pioneering investigative reporter, news editor, foreign correspondent, and managing editor, before succeeding the legendary Ben Bradlee as executive editor. As Downie writes, he was quite different from Bradlee. But he played an equally important role over more than four decades in making The Post one of the world's leading news organizations. Among the stories he was involved with were the historic Watergate story, the investigation and impeachment of President Bill Clinton, the Unabomber (who threatened to kill more people if The Post did not publish his 'manifesto'); the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and many national security stories published in defiance of government wishes. He managed The Post's ascendency to the pinnacle of influence, circulation and profitability, before being confronted by the digital transformation of the news media that threatened to put the Post out of business. In a dangerous age of fake news and media manipulation, Downie's judgment, fairness, and commitment to truth will inspire anyone who wants to know how journalism at its best, works.

Freedom of the press is a primary American value. Good journalism builds communities, arms citizens with important information, and serves as a public watchdog for civic, national, and global issues. But what happens when the news turns its back on its public role?

Leonard Downie Jr., executive editor of The Washington Post, and Robert G. Kaiser, associate editor and senior correspondent, report on a growing crisis in American journalism. From the corporatization that leads media moguls to slash content for profit, to newsrooms that ignore global crises to report on personal entertainment, these veteran journalists chronicle an erosion of independent, relevant journalism. In the process, they make clear why incorruptible reporting is crucial to American society. Rooted in interviews and first-hand accounts, the authors take us inside the politically charged world of one of America’s powerful institutions, the media.