The Spectacle: Media and the Making of the O.J. Simpson Story

In the Year of Simpson, the country was caught in the throes of the biggest story ever. No other single news event in our history could match the sheer scope and intensity of coverage given to the O. J. Simpson murder case. But the media did not just report the Simpson case, they were instrumental in creating it―a spectacle of such stupendous proportions that it hijacked American culture. In this critical expos^D'e of American media, Thaler presents a riveting narrative about the men and women who gave us the story of the century. It is a sprawling tale of the media grappling with their role as news-reporting entities; seduced by the values of entertainment and tabloidism; and faced with increased competition, fragmented audiences, and frantic pressure to keep both eyes on the bottom line.

The Simpson story is one of exploitation, of media overkill and outright pandering, of huge profitmaking, all of which undermined the trial and fueled tremendous public cynicism about the way in which justice―and the media―work in this country. For more than a year, America was held captive to the great murder story. In Thaler's analysis, the media, more than any other single participant, altered the workings of the Simpson courtroom and the outcome of one of the most celebrated trials in America's history. From the first coverage of the murders to the final days of the trial of the century, the media were not only telling us what had become of justice in this country, but also what had become of them. This is that story.

PAUL THALER is Director of Journalism and Media at Mercy College. A former newspaper reporter and freelance writer for The New York Times and Forbes MediaCritic, Thaler has been a noted media expert for many national publications and network programs. He is author of The Watchful Eye: American Justice in the Age of the Television Trial (Praeger, 1994).