The No-Nonsense Guide to Global Media

Steven, Peter
Publisher:  New Internationalist Publications/Between the Lines, Toronto, Canada
Year Published:  2004
Pages:  144pp   Price:  $14.95   ISBN:  1896357873
Library of Congress Number:  P90.S75 2004   Dewey:  302.23
Resource Type:  Book
Cx Number:  CX6692

Peter Steven aims to make readers realize the power and influence of dominant media but, at the same time, also understand that they are not "omnipotent" and that there are alternative forms available.

Abstract: 
The No-Nonsense Guides are a series of books dealing with common topics of concern which most people care about but, find difficult to accurately research either due to a shortage of information or an excess of it. These include issues such as climate change, democracy, world history, sexual diversity and terrorism. The No-Nonsense Guide to Global Media tries to deal with multiple aspects of modern media including their effects on society, their history, the technology involved in producing and transmitting data, the influence of political and economic forces on media, the dangers of not understanding media's power and limitations and ways to work towards "a better media world."

Peter Steven aims to make readers realize the power and influence of dominant media but, at the same time, also understand that they are not "omnipotent" and that there are alternative forms available. He talks about how different cultures interpret media programs differently and how, though many forms of media are globalized and shared by multiple cultures around the world, many forms are localized and very diverse. The author also discusses how both direct and indirect political and economic factors influence media which in turn affect culture over time. He describes media as a reflection of society, as well being an influence on it, and gives an overview of why and how "we watch, listen, read and surf." The book contains a chapter on the technological aspect of media and discusses how non-technological conditions affect the advancement of technology and vice versa. It briefly explains some technical media-related terms like "broadband," "satellite," and "compression technology."

The book is short, interesting, informative and relevant to multiple fields of study. It contains maps, tables and charts to supplement the textual information provided and, also has multiple focus boxes within the text which provide interesting snippets of information from around the globe.

[Abstract by Nabeeha Chaudhary]

Contents:
Foreword by Christine Morris
Introduction
Living with the media - voices from around the world
Global media
The howling, brawling, global marketplace - political economy
The rise of the machines - technology
Art and audience
Media and society
For a better media world
Bibliography
Contacts
Index

Subject Headings

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