Critical Media Studies: An Introduction

by Brian L. Ott, Robert L. Mack

Fully revised to reflect today’s media environment, this new edition of Critical Media Studies offers students a comprehensive introduction to the field and demonstrates how to think critically about the power and influence of media in our daily lives. Material new to this edition includes a chapter on sociological analysis and reveals new ways audiences use media in their everyday lives to manage social roles, relationships, and contexts. Readers will also appreciate the extensive updating of previously discussed examples to reflect contemporary industry standards, textual forms, and audience behaviors and the inclusion of more international material to reflect contemporary media’s global reach.

Continuing its well-received writing style that is both engaging and accessible, the book’s twelve perspectives provide readers with a diverse array of critical approaches to media studies, including original approaches such as erotic, sociological, and ecological analysis. Combining the best of well-tested theory with cutting-edge scholarship, this new edition of Critical Media Studies, offers invaluable insights into our current understanding of the nature and consequences of media in today’s world.

Genres: School, Nonfiction

336 pages, Hardcover

First published August 24, 2009

Reviews

[Pierre-Luc Landry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Third time reading for teaching purposes. I really like this textbook but I'll definitely need to update to the latest edition next time I use it in class, due to the fact that some topics have evolved quite a lot since publication. I'm thinking particularly of everything related to fan culture and fan studies, which is straight up outdated. Otherwise, the authors present theoretical concepts in a playful and accessible way with interesting suggestions for classroom activities, and I've found this resource quite useful for my media studies and critical theory courses.

[Rich · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would not have chosen to read this book if it had not been required for a class. I'm glad I read it. It is really well-done, easy to read (for the most part) and very insightful. It has helped me understand the landscape of media and helped me develop a critical eye to the message and presentation of content in our ever-changing media-soaked world. I would recommend this book.

[Graham Oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well put together. Only downside is that a good bit of the content would be repetitive for anyone that would go through reading it. Examples used make this a step above most related academic texts.