Sarah Ellison

Sarah Ellison is a journalist and author known for her coverage of media, politics, and business. She serves as a staff writer at The Washington Post and previously worked as a media reporter for The Wall Street Journal. Her 2010 book "War at The Wall Street Journal" documented Rupert Murdoch's acquisition of Dow Jones and became a definitive account of this pivotal media industry transition. The book demonstrated her ability to combine detailed reporting with narrative storytelling about complex corporate dealings. Through her journalism career, Ellison has written extensively about the intersection of media and power, covering major stories about Fox News, Donald Trump's relationship with the press, and transformations in digital media. Her work regularly appears in publications including Vanity Fair and The New York Times. Her reporting style focuses on obtaining insider accounts and presenting multiple perspectives on controversial media industry events. She frequently provides commentary on media issues as an expert source for television news programs.

Readers praise Ellison's insider access and detailed reporting in "War at The Wall Street Journal," citing her thorough documentation of key events and personalities during the Murdoch takeover. Multiple reviews note her balanced presentation of competing interests and clear explanation of complex business dealings. What readers liked: - Clear breakdown of corporate politics - Access to key players and insider perspectives - Neutral tone when covering controversial figures - Strong narrative pacing that maintains interest What readers disliked: - Some felt overwhelmed by the number of characters/players - A few readers wanted more analysis of broader media industry impacts - Some corporate finance details seen as too technical Ratings across platforms: - Goodreads: 3.9/5 (400+ ratings) - Amazon: 4.2/5 (50+ reviews) "Like reading a detailed play-by-play of a historic business deal," wrote one Amazon reviewer. "Ellison's reporting captures both the boardroom drama and human elements," noted another on Goodreads. Note: Review data primarily covers "War at The Wall Street Journal" as her main book publication.

War at The Wall Street Journal: Inside the Struggle to Control an American Business Empire (2010) A detailed chronicle of Rupert Murdoch's $5 billion acquisition of Dow Jones and The Wall Street Journal, documenting the internal conflicts and family dynamics of the Bancroft family's decision to sell their historic newspaper.

Michael Wolff Covers media power players and corporate battles through insider access and detailed reporting. His books "Fire and Fury" and "The Man Who Owns the News" examine similar territory to Ellison's work on media empires.

Ken Auletta Reports on media industry transformations and power dynamics at major companies as a New Yorker writer. His books "Googled" and "Backstory" chronicle media business developments through extensive sourcing and narrative techniques.

Gabriel Sherman Specializes in coverage of conservative media networks and their influence on politics through deep reporting. His book "The Loudest Voice in the Room" about Roger Ailes uses similar methods to Ellison's coverage of media figures.

Sheelah Kolhatkar Writes about business power structures and corporate conflicts through detailed investigative work. Her book "Black Edge" shares Ellison's focus on documenting complex business dealings through narrative journalism.

David Carr Covered media industry developments and transformations through sourced reporting and analysis. His work at The New York Times and book "The Night of the Gun" demonstrate comparable approaches to examining media power dynamics.