Media Today, Third Edition, 2010 Update

Description

Media Today puts students at the center of profound changes in the twenty-first century media world – from digital convergence to media ownership – and gives them the skills to think critically about how these changes affect their lives.

Media Today, Third Edition 2010 Update is built around four key concepts:

• A media systems approach allows students to understand the interconnected system of media products that surrounds them every day
• Unique insights into media trends give students an insider’s perspective on how media industries are responding to changes from globalization to social networking
• Emphasis on the centrality of digital convergence demonstrates in each chapter how digital media is transforming traditional mass media such as newspapers, magazines, and television
• A media literacy goal encourages and builds critical skills to make students more informed and responsible citizens in our media-driven society

In the 2010 Update to Media Today, over 40% of the textboxes and photos were updated to reflect the latest cultural and technological issues affecting media industries, along with case studies and activities designed to build media literacy. Additional learning resources include an enclosed DVD with media examples for further study and classroom discussion, and a free interactive companion website with a full range of instructor and student materials at www.routledge.com/textbooks/MediaTodayUpdate.

Reviews

"Media Today is the best textbook to understand the organization, economics, and emerging trends within the U.S. media sector. Its institutional focus and the level of detail and updated knowledge it provides in this regard makes it the best textbook for an introductory media course."

—Gisela Gil-Egui, Fairfield University

"Media Today puts together all the indispensable components that are required for an introductory mass media course. The goal of media literacy…and the emphasis on digital convergence precisely feels the pulse of media trends today, which is exciting and interesting to students."

—Gang Han, SUNY Fredonia

"I adopted the third edition of Media Today and used it quite successfully last term. In my opinion it is, by far the best introduction to mass communication text on the market."

—Scott Weiss, St. Francis College

"The students found the book extremely useful for their future careers. They liked the fact that the information was up-to-date, easy to understand, and well-organized."

—Mihaela Popescu, California State University, San Bernardino

"What makes Media Today especially stand out is the extra attention to the dynamics of teh ever-changing media industries. Joseph Turow's book offers a nuanced, comprehensive, and accessible treatment of how economic incentives and current trends in media matter for us and our democracy."

—Matt McAllister, Pennsylvania State University

Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

A Visual Tour of Media Today

To the Student

Part One

Understanding the Nature of Mass Media

1 Understanding Mass Media and the Importance of Media Literacy

2 Making Sense of the Media Business

3 Formal and Informal Controls on Media Content: Government Regulation, Self-Regulation, and Ethics

4 Making Sense of Research on Media Effects and Media Culture

Part Two

Media Giants and Cross-Media Activities

5 A World of Blurred Media Boundaries

6 Understanding the Strategies of Media Giants

Part Three

The Print Media

7 The Book Industry

8 The Newspaper Industry

9 The Magazine Industry

Part Four

The Electronic Media

10 The Recording Industry

11 The Radio Industry

12 The Motion Picture Industry

13 The Television Industry

14 The Internet and Video Game Industries

Part Five

Advertising and Public Relations

15 The Advertising Industry

16 The Public Relations Industry

Epilogue

Notes

Photo Credits

Index

Author Bio

Joseph Turow is Robert Lewis Shayon Professor of Communication at the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communication. A former Chair of the Mass Communication Division of the International Communication Association, he has authored eight books, edited five books, and written more than 100 articles on mass media industries.

Related Subjects

1. Communication Studies
2. Mass Communication
3. Mass Media & Communication
4. Media Studies

The companion website for Media Today, 3rd Edition 2010 Update will be available on June 7, 2010.

For a preview of the content before the web site is live, please contact Kate Mungur at kate.mungur@taylorandfrancis.com.