Today, arguably more than at any time in the past, media are the key players in contributing to what defines reality for the citizens of Europe and beyond. This book provides an introduction to the way that the media occupy such a position of prominence in contemporary human existence.
This expanded and fully updated third edition of the bestselling The Media: An Introduction collects in one volume thirty-six specially commissioned essays to offer unrivalled breadth and depth for an introduction to the study of contemporary media. It addresses the fundamental questions about today’s media – for example, digitisation and its effects, new distribution technologies, and the implications of convergence, all set against the backdrop of a period of profound social and economic change in Europe and globally.
Key features:
- Expert contributions on each topic
- Approachable, authoritative contributions provide a solid theoretical overview of the media industry and comprehensive empirical guide to the institutions that make up the media.
- Further Reading and related web-resource listings encourage further study.
New to this edition:
- New five part structure provides a broad and coherent approach to media: Part 1 Understanding the Media; Part 2 What Are the Media?; Part 3 The Media Environment; Part 4 Audiences, Influences and Effects; Part 5 Media Representations.
- Brand new chapters on: Approaches to Media; Media Form; Models of Media Institutions; The Media in Europe; Photography; Book Publishing; Newspapers; Magazines; Radio; Television; The Internet and the Web; News Media; Economics; Policy; Public Service Broadcasting in Europe; Censorship and Freedom of Speech; Audience Research; Sexualities; Gender; Social Class; Media and Religion; The Body, Health and Illness; Nationality and Sex Acts.
- Other chapter topics from the last edition fully updated
- A wider, more comparative focus on Europe.
The Media: An Introduction will be essential reading for undergraduate and postgraduate students of media studies, cultural studies, communication studies, journalism, film studies, the sociology of the media, popular culture and other related subjects.
Introduction Daniele Albertazzi and Paul Cobley Part 1: Understanding the Media Introduction Daniele Albertazzi and Paul Cobley 1. Approaches to the Media Joanne Sayner 2. Media Form John Corner 3. Models of Media Institutions Stylianos Papathanassopoulos 4. The Media in Europe Hans J. Kleinsteuber Part 2: What Are the Media? Introduction Daniele Albertazzi and Paul Cobley 5. Comics Roger Sabin 6. Photography Stephen Bull 7. Book Publishing Beverley Tarquini 8. Public Relations David Miller 9. Newspapers Raymond Kuhn 10. Magazines Anna Gough-Yates 11. Radio Guy Starkey 12. Television Dorothy Hobson 13. Cinema Anne Jäckel 14. Pop Music Roy Shuker 15. The Internet and the www Lorenzo Cantoni and Stefano Tardini 16. News Agencies Oliver Boyd-Barrett and Terhi Rantanen 17. News Media Jackie Harrison 18. Advertising Iain MacRury Part 3: The Media Environment: Policy, Economics and Institutions Introduction Daniele Albertazzi and Paul Cobley 19. Economics John Sedgwick and Guglielmo Volpe 20. Policy Marco Gambaro 21. Public Service Broadcasting in Europe Jérôme Bourdon 22. Censorship and Freedom of Speech Julian Petley Part 4: Audiences, influences and effects Introduction Daniele Albertazzi and Paul Cobley 23. Administrative Research of Audiences Michael Svennevig 24. Effects Guy Cumberbatch 25. Impacts and Influences Jenny Kitzinger 26. Active Audiences Joke Hermes Part 5: Media representations Introduction Daniele Albertazzi and Paul Cobley 27. Sexuality Charlotte Ross 28. Gender Rosalind Gill 29. Social Class Karima Laachir 30. Race and Ethnicity Sarita Malik 31. Media and Religion Leen d’Haenens and Jan Bosman 32. Youth Bill Osgerby 33. The Body, Health and Illness Andy Miah 34. Nationality Barbara O’Connor 35. Sport Neil Blain and Raymond Boyle 36. Sex Acts Brian McNair
Biography
Daniele Albertazzi is Senior Lecturer in European Media at the University of Birmingham.
Paul Cobley is Reader in Communications at London Metropolitan University.
