Mass Communication: Living in a Media World

The best-selling Mass Communication: Living in a Media World presents a highly accessible introduction to mass communication that equips students with the critical thinking skills to become savvy media consumers. To help students better retain the material, author Ralph E. Hanson uses a storytelling approach that weaves in examples drawn from everyday life. Readers are encouraged to consider the media industry from the inside out and, in doing so, discover the many dimensions of mass communication that operate in our society. The thoroughly revised Eighth Edition highlights how social and digital media, video games, and the COVID-19 pandemic are changing the face of media.

ISBN-13: 9781544382999

Media Type: Paperback

Publisher: SAGE Publications

Publication Date: 01-20-2021

Pages: 488

Product Dimensions: 8.38(w) x 10.88(h) x (d)

Ralph E. Hanson is a professor in the communication department at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, where he teaches courses in writing, blogging, reporting, and mass communication. Previously, he was on the faculty at West Virginia University and Northern Arizona University. He has been teaching introduction to mass communication for more than twenty-five years, and he has worked extensively on developing online courses and degree programs. Hanson has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and anthropology from Iowa State University, a master’s degree in journalism from Iowa State, and a doctorate in sociology from Arizona State University. He recently completed a book chapter on the long-standing connections between the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday and the NFL’s Super Bowl. When Ralph is not out on his motorcycle riding to places a long way from Nebraska, he is blogging on mass communication issues at http://ralphehanson.com. He tweets as @ralphehanson.

Table of Contents

Preface
Acknowledgments
About the Author
PART I. INTRODUCTION TO THE MEDIA
Chapter 1. Living in a Media World: An Introduction to Mass Communication
Levels of Communication
Elements of Mass Communication
Evolution of the Media World
Understanding the Media World
Chapter Review
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
Review Questions
Chapter 2. Mass Communication Effects: How Society and Media Interact
History of Media Effects Research
Effects of the Media in Our Lives
Theories of Media and Society
Chapter Review
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
Review Questions
Chapter 3. The Media Business: Consolidation, Globalization, and the Long Tail
The Development of the Media Business in the United States
Big Media: The Legacy Conglomerates
Big Media: The New Players
Media Economics and the Long Tail
Chapter Review
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
Review Questions
PART II. PRINT MEDIA
Chapter 4. Books: The Birth of the Mass Media
The Development of the Book and Mass Communication
Buying and Selling Books
Books and Culture
The Future of Books
Chapter Review
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
Review Questions
Chapter 5. Magazines: The Power of Words and Images
The Development of a National Culture
The Magazine Business
Magazines and Modern Society
The Future of Magazines
Chapter Review
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
Review Questions
Chapter 6. Newspapers and the News: Reflection of a Democratic Society
Inventing the Modern Press
The News Business
News, Politics, and Society
The Future of News
Chapter Review
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
Review Questions
PART III. ELECTRONIC MEDIA
Chapter 7. Audio: Music and Talk Across Media
History of Sound Recording and Transmission
Music, Youth Culture, and Society
From Singles to Digital Downloads: Making Money in the Recording Industry
The Future of Sound
Chapter Review
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
Review Questions
Chapter 8. Movies: Mass Producing Entertainment
The Development of Movies
The Movie Business
Movies and Society
The Future of Movies
Chapter Review
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
Review Questions
Chapter 9. Television: Broadcast and Beyond
Television: Broadcast and Cable/Satellite
From Broadcasting to Narrowcasting: The Changing Business of Television
Television and Society
Moving Beyond Broadcasting
Chapter Review
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
Review Questions
Chapter 10. Online Media: The Internet, Social Media, and Video Games
The Development of the Internet
What Are Online/Mobile Media?
Social Media: Sharing Our Lives Online
Video Games as Mass Communication
The Internet and Society
Chapter Review
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
Review Questions
PART IV. STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION
Chapter 11. Advertising: Selling a Message
The Development of the Advertising Industry
The Advertising Business
Advertising in Contemporary Culture
The Future of Advertising
Chapter Review
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
Review Questions
Chapter 12. Public Relations: Interactions, Relationships, and the News
From Press Agentry to Professionalism
The Business of Public Relations
Public Relations and Society
Chapter Review
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
Review Questions
PART V. REGULATION AND CONTROL OF THE MEDIA
Chapter 13. Media Law: Free Speech and Fairness
The Development of a Free Press
Protection of Individuals
Controlling the Press
Regulation of the Media Industry
Chapter Review
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
Review Questions
Chapter 14. Media Ethics: Truthfulness, Fairness, and Standards of Decency
Ethical Principles and Decision Making
Ethics and News
Ethics and Persuasive Communication
Chapter Review
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
Review Questions
Chapter 15. Global Media: Communication Around the World
Media Ideals Around the World
Going Global: Media Standards Around the World
Chapter Review
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
Review Questions
Glossary
Notes
Index
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