Product Description

This up-to-date, reader-friendly presentation of the mass media helps instructors use the media to teach the media and explore its excitement, complexity, and impact on our lives. Widely praised for his ability to make learning interesting, Vivian's story-telling style excites students as they explore the ever-changing subject of mass communication. This edition retains the emphasis on the challenges of today's media while building on its extensive coverage of media history, effects, technology, and culture. The coverage of media literacy, at the core of Vivian's text since the first edition, has been enhanced with two new features that push students to think critically. The three part-organization-the media, media messages, and media issues-provides a framework for students to understand the big picture behind today's media issues.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #134916 in Books
• Published on: 2006-03-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 544 pages

From the Back Cover

This up-to-date, reader-friendly presentation of mass media helps instructors use the media to teach the media and explore its excitement, complexity, and impact on our lives.

Widely praised for his ability to make learning interesting, Vivian’s story-telling style excites students as they explore the ever-changing subject of mass communication. This edition retains the emphasis on the challenges of today's media while building on its extensive coverage of media history, effects, technology, and culture. The coverage of media literacy, at the core of Vivian’s text since the first edition, has been enhanced with two new features that push students to think critically. The three part-organization–the media, media messages, and media issues–provides a framework for students to understand the big picture behind today’s media issues.

New to the Eighth Edition

• Seven new “Case Studies,” found throughout the book, each look in depth at a relevant media issue and then invite students to analyze its impact.
• “Deepening Your Media Literacy,” a new student project at the end of each chapter, encourages students (in groups or individually) to “dig deeper” to analyze a media problem and enhance their media literacy.
• New Media Technology boxes explore and help demystify the ever-changing world of media technology.
• The text and photo program has been thoroughly updated throughout with the latest examples and information on media trends, challenges, concepts, personalities, and issues.

Customer Reviews

If You Have To Take A Class...
I'm using this book in an online class on mass communication and I have to admit that I actually enjoy reading this book.

It covers every area of the media and its a very simple and informative read. 'Simple' used in this context means that I don't have to re-read a paragraph two or three times, just to make sense of what the author is trying to convey.

The chapters are pretty short, and the book has lots of nice, bright pictures (that's my inner child speaking). Each chapter begins with stories about a media personality and that's always interesting. I end up saying "I didn't know that," a lot to myself.

What I really like about the book is that its very up to the moment. It even mentions Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction.

So, if you have to take a class, especially an online class, it's nice to have a textbook that's so user friendly.

The Media of Mass Communication
The book was received just as it was described. Seller was easy to work with. Much cheaper than if I would have bought it from the bookstore on campus.

author more interested in pushing his political and socials views
This author is more interested in pushing his political and socials views on unsuspecting young minds than he is in presenting a fact-filled instructional text. It is quite a shame that it is even used in any school. Do any of the class instructors actually read the text? I hope not - because that would mean that they are deliberately perpetuating dishonest education and telling students how to "feel" politically and socially.