Table of Content

1. MEDIA PROCESSES AND FUNCTIONS.
1. We the People: Media and Communication.
2. Journalism: Information and Society.
3. Public Relations.
4. Advertising.
2. MEDIA INDUSTRIES.
5. Books.
6. Newspapers.
7. Magazines.
8. The Movies.
9. Radio.
10. Television.
11. Music and the Recording Industry.
12. Computers and the Internet Highway
3. MEDIA ISSUES.
13. Ethics.
14. Regulation.
15. Mass Communication Research: From Content to Effects.

Salient Features

• Media Convergence: As the first introduction to mass communication text to place a strong emphasis on media convergence, both in sections throughout the book as well as in the “Media Convergence” boxes that appear in most chapters, this text provides students with a thorough understanding of the forces that exist in today's media environment.
• Social and Cultural Effects: “Cultural Impact” boxes highlight the ways in which the media influence and represent American culture, both positively and negatively. “Global Impact” boxes provide a macro-perspective on the influence and availability of the media throughout the world. “Profiles” spotlight prominent media figures with miniature case studies of their careers.
• Historical Context: Chapter-overview sections on “Media in American Life” along with “Dateline” continuums and in-chapter discussions offer students one of the strongest discussions of the history of the mass media available.
• Economic Issues: Special sections on “Today's Market Structure” outline economic issues in which the media and the economy influence one another to help students understand the effects of economics on today's media culture.
• Technology: “Navigating the Web” sections show students how each of the different types of media is emerging on the Web and suggest ways to investigate media issues with Internet and World Wide Web resources (complete with URLs).
• “Media in Your Life” activities ask students to evaluate their own media use as a key to the patterns, trends, and topics they find in each chapter.
• Student-oriented pedagogy (including helpful sidebars, recaps, glossary, review questions, critical thinking questions, “Key Concept” marginal notations, and references to media sources) aids students' learning.
• New organization. The book's new division into three parts—Media Processes and Functions, Media Industries, and Media Issues strengthens its professional focus by beginning with mass communication functions.
• New chapter on journalism. Material has been gathered from the media chapters and presented as an integrated topic to give equal emphasis to three major mass communication functions: journalism, advertising, and public relations (Ch. 2).
• Focus on contemporary issues. More coverage is included on the trends in mass communication. A new feature called “Discussing Trends” encourages students to consider the impact of these trends on today's media.