Description
Book SynopsisMedia and Society: A Critical Perspective offers an accessible introduction to the role that the mass media play in our lives, our society, and American culture. Berger explores the relationship between consumers and media with an emphasis on the shaping influence that both have on each other. This lively text, illustrated with original sketches by the author, equips students with the tools necessary to analyze the media that permeates their lives. The third edition features a discussion of the impact of Facebook, Twitter, and other social media on youth culture, an expanded discussion of media ethics, including the Murdoch phone-tapping scandal, an analysis of how media has affected our political landscape, and updated examples and material on media theories and ideology.
Trade ReviewBerger has done it yet again -- a real hit! He is a scholar with a unique ability to popularize the study of media, and Media & Society is a powerful introductory textbook targeted to stimulate and inform undergraduates, combining theory with practice, along with questions and data to stimulate thought and discussion. The book is all-inclusive – all the theories are there: narratives, textual analysis, theories of art, uses and gratifications, audiences, and more. And the key theorists are also there: Propp, Eco, Sausure, Lotman, along with many others. -- A. Michael Noll, Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California
I find Media and Society by Arthur Asa Berger to be a very effective text for undergraduates. It gives a taste of both theoretical and real-world applications of the media. The diversity [of applications discussed] is helpful in engaging students, and it seems to be a uniquely well-balanced text -- Paul R. Kohl, Loras College
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction: You and the Media: A Consideration Chapter 1: Media in Our Thoughts and Lives Chapter 2: Media Usage in The United States Chapter 3: Semiotics and Media Aesthetics Chapter 4: Media and Textual Analysis Chapter 5: Audiences I: Categories Chapter 6: Audiences II: Effects Chapter 7: The Mass Culture/Mass Society Hypothesis Chapter 8: The Social Impact of New Media Technologies Chapter 9: The Problem of Media Violence Chapter 10: Media and Politics Chapter 11: Media Artists Glossary Bibliography Index
