Canadian Communication Policy and Law provides a uniquely Canadian focus and perspective on telecommunications policy, broadcasting policy, internet regulation, freedom of expression, censorship, defamation, privacy, government surveillance, intellectual property, and more. Taking a critical stance, Sara Bannerman draws attention to unequal power structures by asking the question, whom does Canadian communication policy and law serve? Key theories for analysis of law and policy issues—such as pluralist, libertarian, critical political economy, Marxist, feminist, queer, critical race, critical disability, postcolonial, and intersectional theories—are discussed in detail in this accessibly written text. From critical and theoretical analysis to legal research and citation skills, Canadian Communication Policy and Law encourages deep analytic engagement. Serving as a valuable resource for students who are undertaking research and writing on legal topics for the first time, this comprehensive text is well suited for undergraduate communication and media studies programs.

Canada is at a critical juncture in the evolution of its communications policy. Will our information and communications technologies continue in a market-oriented, neoliberal direction, or will they preserve and strengthen broader democratic values? Media Divides offers a comprehensive, up-to-date audit of communications law and policy. Using the concept of communications rights as a framework for analysis, leading scholars not only reveal the nation’s democratic deficits in five key domains – media, access, the Internet, privacy, and copyright – they also formulate recommendations, including the establishment of a Canadian right to communicate, for the future.

The leader in Canadian communication studies for twenty-five years, this highly-anticipated new edition introduces the history, theories, and basic concepts of traditional media, while integrating the latest information on digitization and various types of new media. The authors explore a widerange of exciting topics including media culture and politics, media content, audiences, law and policy, the structure and role of media ownership, journalists as content producers, the effects of media convergence, and globalization. With a stunning new full-colour design, a reorganized chapter oncommunication policy, and extensive updates throughout, the seventh edition of Mass Communication in Canada is essential reading for anyone studying this constantly evolving field.