Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Mass Media Law

Rate this book
In its 19th edition, Mass Media Law offers an updated look at the ever-changing landscape of media law. It continues to provide undergraduates with the foundation they need to understand the field, going back to the adoption of the First Amendment, and quickly brings them up to speed with the most current issues. In their popular conversational style, Don Pember and Clay Calvert introduce students to the newest threats to journalism and the role technology plays in the field of mass media law. The attention this program provides to both historical and contemporary issues gives students the background they need to fully understand the controversies surrounding speech and press across media.

Instructors and students can now access their course content through the Connect digital learning platform by purchasing either standalone Connect access or a bundle of print and Connect access. McGraw-Hill Connect® is a subscription-based learning service accessible online through your personal computer or tablet. Choose this option if your instructor will require Connect to be used in the course. Your subscription to Connect includes the

• SmartBook® - an adaptive digital version of the course textbook that personalizes your reading experience based on how well you are learning the content.
• Access to your instructor’s homework assignments, quizzes, syllabus, notes, reminders, and other important files for the course.
• Progress dashboards that quickly show how you are performing on your assignments and tips for improvement.
• The option to purchase (for a small fee) a print version of the book. This binder-ready, loose-leaf version includes free shipping.

Complete system requirements to use Connect can be found

720 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1989

Loading...
Loading...

About the author

Don R. Pember

15 books1 follower

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
25 (16%)
4 stars
46 (30%)
3 stars
50 (33%)
2 stars
18 (12%)
1 star
11 (7%)
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
Profile Image for Cheryl Lim.
136 reviews5 followers
May 28, 2025
Read this for my communications law class. The chapters are dense, but the book effectively presents important concepts in U.S. journalism and media law, supported by key legal precedents.
Profile Image for Nora Winckler .
207 reviews
December 3, 2023
2.5 - the cases and content are pretty interesting for a textbook, but the chapters are ungodly long and I spend most of my time skimming so I wouldn’t fall asleep
Profile Image for ash.
122 reviews
May 14, 2025
read this for class and learned sooo much from it regarding the laws around journalism.
Profile Image for Beckie.
28 reviews2 followers
September 21, 2007
I hated this book because it was long and the words were very dry.

But I learned more from this book that has saved my ass more than any other book... short of the Bible. ;)

If you're into journalism and law, it's incredibly helpful and a great learning tool.

If you're not a journalist or a law student and you enjoy reading this, you need therapy. ;)
Profile Image for MM.
478 reviews7 followers
March 1, 2010
I use this class every year in my media law class -- great intro to legal concepts around the First Amendment, copyright, media regulation. Pember and Calvert do a nice job bringing this material alive with current cases and decisions. I hate that it costs so much money but I do require the latest version because of changing case law.
Profile Image for Hannah B.
3 reviews
April 18, 2013
This is a tough book to get through, but I literally read it cover to cover. If you are reading this book for a Media Law course and the quizzes come from the book, I would strongly recommend using the Online Learning Center (www.mhhe.com/pember17e) to take the practice quizzes as the book does not always provide clear explanations. It's a long and grueling 640 pages!
Profile Image for Kathryn.
320 reviews50 followers
July 9, 2008
This is probably one of the most interesting text books ever. Although we only had to read parts of it for my media law class, I ended up reading it page by page. But I guess if you aren't into communications law (censorship, copyright and such), this really wouldn't be too interesting.
Profile Image for Colleen.
7 reviews9 followers
February 13, 2009
This was required for my Communication Law class - while I am far from a legal scholar, this can be a very engaging read on the subjects presented.
Profile Image for Shannon.
2,135 reviews64 followers
March 30, 2010
I KNOW media law should be more interesting than this.
Profile Image for Chelsea.
6 reviews
December 10, 2011
Educational, but don't expect visuals or sources to any. Good luck if it's assigned...
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews