Mass communication : living in a media world / Ralph E. Hanson

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Part 1: Introduction to the media. Living in a Media World ; Mass Communication Effects: How Society and Media Interact ; The Media Business: Consolidation, Globalization, and the Long Tail. -- Part 2: Print media. Books: The Birth of the Mass Media ; Magazines: The Power of Words and Images ; Newspapers & the News: Reflection of a Democratic Society. -- Part 3: Electronic media. Audio: Music and Talk Across Media ; Movies: Mass Producing Entertainment ; Television: Broadcast and Beyond ; The Internet: Mass Communication Gets Personal. -- Part 4: Strategic communication. Advertising: Selling a Message ; Public Relations: Interactions, Relationships, and the News. -- Part 5: Regulation and control of the media. Media Law: Free Speech and Fairness ; Media Ethics: Truthfulness, Fairness, and Standards of Decency ; Global Media: Communication Around the World.

"That the media world is changing at a dizzying pace is a statement of the obvious. Yet, some things do remain constant. There are principles of media literacy, which once students have mastered, arm them with the tools and critical thinking they need to be savvy and self-aware consumers of the media. Ralph Hanson does this in every page of his book. Oh, but there is so much more. The fourth edition of Mass Communication is now a full-color Media Edition which means, at no extra cost to your students, they now have access to an interactive ebook when they buy a new print copy. Through a series of icons, students link to a wealth of multimedia assets--including audio, video, data, articles, reference, and policy backgrounders from CQ Researcher--right where it matters most: on the exact page where a topic is discussed. Students can immediately dive deeper and explore an important concept or idea while reading. There is also an important assessment piece. For each "Test Your Media Literacy" box, students can answer critical thinking questions, as well as take a chapter quiz making sure they master chapter objectives. All answers and quiz results feed an instructor gradebook so you can efficiently track participation and comprehension. It's an enhanced, enriching, and interactive learning experience. And for those who used Hanson for the past three editions, we know you appreciate the book's smart approach and value price. The good news is that there is one more tool to get students engaged and reading: a good read, an affordable price, and now, full-color design. The addition of color clearly enhances photos, but also improves the book's pedagogic muscle, with colored text that highlights the Seven Truths principles, with global icons signifying comparative examples and international content, and with a new "Test Your Visual Media Literacy" box that helps students really think about the reactions they have to media images they see everyday."--Publisher's website.