Praise for the First Edition: `I can′t think of a book in media studies that handles so well the diversity of perspectives and issues that Stevenson addresses. Whether reconstructing Marxism or deconstructing postmodernism, tackling the pleasures of soap opera or the repetitive structures of daily news presentation, Stevenson is always clear and insightful′ - Sociology The Second Edition of this book provides a comprehensive overview of the ways in which social theory has attempted to theorize the importance of the media in contemporary society. Now fully revised to take account of the recent theoretical developments associated with `new media′ and `information society′, as well as the audience and the public sphere, Understanding Media Cultures: - Critically examines the key social theories of mass communication - Highlights the work of individual theorists including Fiske, Williams, Hall, Habermas, Jameson, McLuhan and Baudrillard. - Covers the important traditions of media analysis from feminism, cultural studies and audience research. - Now includes a discussion of recent perspectives developed by Castells, Haraway, Virilio and Schiller. - Provides a glossary of key terms in media and social theory. Retaining all the strengths of the previous edition, Understanding Media Cultures offers a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the field. It will be essential reading for students of social theory, media and cultural studies.

The mass media open our private lives to the world around us. They are central to economic, cultural and political processes, through words, images and music. They address us in innumerable genres - from advertising to news journalism, from soap operas to sports coverage, from political debates to feature films and novels. This refreshingly different introduction to media studies offers an understanding of the mass media which is critical but which does not deny the pleasures they offer. Reflecting the trends of today's media and cultural studies courses, it introduces students both to social scientific approaches and those of the humanities and aesthetics. The central debates of media and communication studies are presented, starting from the individual's relation to the mass media and exploring questions of identity, influence and social differences. It then introduces the different methods used in analysing media texts, and concludes with a discussion of the public sphere and democracy, media technology, institutions and production. Each topic is presented in such a way as to encourage the reader to take part in discussions and further work. Understanding Media Culture is written in an engaged and engaging way and offers an invitation to a deeper understanding for anyone interested in the field.

Offering the most current coverage available, MEDIA NOW: UNDERSTANDING MEDIA, CULTURE, AND TECHNOLOGY, 9e equips readers with a thorough understanding of how media technologies develop, operate, converge, and affect society. The text provides a comprehensive introduction to today's global media environment and ongoing developments in technology, culture, and critical theory that continue to transform the rapidly evolving industry−and impact your daily life. Focusing on the essential history, theories, concepts, and technical knowledge, MEDIA NOW develops readers' media literacy skills to prepare them for work in the expanding fields of the Internet, interactive media, and traditional media industries. In addition to vivid infographics and illustrations, the cutting-edge Ninth Edition includes the latest developments and trends in social media, e-publishing, policy changes for Internet governance, online privacy protection, online ad exchanges, the changing video game industry, and much more. Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.

When first published, Marshall McLuhan's Understanding Media made history with its radical view of the effects of electronic communications upon man and life in the twentieth century.

The Second Edition of this book provides a comprehensive overview of the ways in which social theory has attempted to theorize the importance of the media in contemporary society. Understanding Media Cultures is now fully revised and takes account of the recent theoretical developments associated with New Media and Information Society, as well as the audience and the public sphere.

Visual Communication: Understanding Images in Media and Culture provides a theoretical and empirical toolkit to examine implications of mediated images. It explores a range of approaches to visual analysis, while also providing a hands-on guide to applying methods to students′ own work. The book: Illustrates a range of perspectives, from content analysis and semiotics, to multimodal and critical discourse analysis Explores the centrality of images to issues of identity and representation, politics and activism, and commodities and consumption Brings theory to life with a host of original case studies, from celebrity videos on Youtube and civil unrest on Twitter, to the lifestyle branding of Vice Media and Getty Images Shows students how to combine approaches and methods to best suit their own research questions and projects An invaluable guide to analysing contemporary media images, this is essential reading for students and researchers of visual communication and visual culture.

Rev. ed. of: Media and culture. 2nd ed. c2000. Includes bibliographical references (p. 575-582) and index.