"Who says that media history has to be boring? Mike Conway . shows that it can be darn riveting in his compelling and timely media history of a pivotal moment from the Cold War . TV history is worthy of this kind of thoughtful, thematic reconsideration, and I hope others follow Conway's lead."-- American Journalism "Conway's is a new and interesting take on both the memo and literary journalism history . Contested Ground is both an eclectic and focused postwar media history that connects The Tunnel , Frank, and his memo to a critical juncture and positions the boundary work of television journalism in its Cold War context. It challenges readers--which should include undergraduate and graduate students of media practice and history--to ask new historical questions about other critical moments."-- Journalism History "[T]his well-written book is a valuable addition to the literature on journalism and broadcasting history."-- CHOICE "In Contested Ground , Mike Conway's analysis of a controversial Cold War-era television program adds significantly to our understanding of TV news history while illuminating long-standing debates about the proper roles of journalism, broadcasting, and documentary.

"-- Matthew C. Ehrlich , author of Radio Utopia: Postwar Audio Documentary in the Public Interest " Contested Ground shows the choices earlier newspeople made when faced with difficulties like those we confront today. This must-read book helps us plot a more informed path into the future."-- Bob Dotson , New York Times best-selling author and former "American Story" correspondent on NBC's Today.