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Reclaiming the Christian Intellectual Tradition
Media, Journalism, and Communication: A Student's Guide
In an age of accelerating information and increasing technology, media matters more now than ever. In this book, Read Mercer Schuchardt helps us navigate the digital age from a distinctly Christian perspective, offering guidance for becoming wise users of media rather than simply being used by media. Highlighting the importance of studying and understanding communication arts and how they are changing, this book will help you think creatively about using media effectively for the sake of the gospel, the church, and the world. Part of the Reclaiming the Christian Intellectual Tradition series.
128 pages, Paperback
Published March 31, 2018
8 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
About the author
Read Mercer Schuchardt
6 books2 followersRead Mercer Schuchardt (PhD, New York University) is associate professor of communication at Wheaton College. He earned his doctorate under the invitation of the late Neil Postman at NYU’s Media Ecology program. He is also a member of the Media Ecology Association and the International Jacques Ellul Society. Schuchardt is a contributor to several books on communication and media theory, is the editor of You Do Not Talk About Fight Club, and the co-founder and editorial chair of the online journal Second Nature. He and his wife, Rachel, have ten children.
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April 9, 2018
'Now is the time for Christians to take up a conscious awareness of the unconscious effects of media and communication technologies. Now is the time for the sleepers to awake.'
Call it a digital detox, this volume is an attempt to guide Christians on thinking clearly about the modern world of media and communications.
A different theory of communication
Dr Schuchardt takes the reader right to the very beginning by considering the meaning of the terms themselves. What does Media mean? What about Communication? While we are used to thinking of communication as just the transfer of information or a message along a channel between 2 parties (a transmission model), the author points us to an alternative theory which focuses on the effect of the chosen medium itself in shaping the conveyed message (the transportation model). And in that regards, this is a really helpful book.
Ignorant zeal?
Among Christian groups, evangelicals have been known for a zeal to reach the world with the gospel. We fervently believe, and rightly so, that the world lies in darkness and that Jesus is their light. In view of this, we try to adopt every possible medium that we think will aid us in achieving this. Books, radio, newspaper, TV, the internet, and even social media, have all been adopted and enlisted in the global evangelistic campaign. Right from the days of the Reformation, the Great Awakening, the Missionary Movement (which brought the gospel to my own country), down to the phenomenal ministry of the late Billy Graham in the twentieth century, every possible medium has been explored in a massive attempt to bring people into Christ's kingdom and nurture them as disciples.
But, as this volume examines, might our uncritical zeal be smothering our message? Might our indiscretion in media selection be hurting the Church’s witness? These are the questions we are invited to ponder. In answering them, Dr Schuchardt takes us on a journey through pedagogical history. We learn of the outlook which lay behind the liberal arts education cultivated in ancient Greece and its brilliance in fostering an orientation toward lifelong learning. Aside from being a system which was in itself elegant, cumulative and integrative, it was also an attempt to get the learner to focus on the good, the true, and the beautiful (a perspective which we sorely need today in view of the deluge of 'information' via social media).
The rule of digital media
The sheer influence of the media in today's world is a cause for concern. The author described it in these stark words:
"Well, the blunt reality is that your parents, teachers, and religious leaders have been lying to you all along. They meant well, they intended the best, but they haven’t ever told you the truth. And that’s not because they didn’t mean to, want to, or try to—they are good people, for the most part. But the lie they told you wasn’t in the content of anything they said. The lie they told you was that they were your parents, your teachers, and your religious leaders. The truth is, they weren’t. The media was, and is, and will be, until you
die.”
Living as I do in the modern city of Lagos, I know that this problem is not restricted to America. A lot of ideas are brought to my mind by the media (be it Facebook or DSTV), and I am constantly being thought how to view the world by CNN. I think I am thinking but I am just being led to think along a certain direction by the platforms I interact with. And this can be startling when I remember that I am supposed to be the light of the world!
As digital media channels grow in influence, they suck (or attempt to suck) all of us into their domain. The decline of print materials (both books and periodicals) is a key casualty in this advance. But there are others. As the author describes, the 8-12 hours of daily electronic mass media consumption results in some problems of a psychological (and more significant) nature. These include:
• Disembodiment - we are simultaneously everywhere and nowhere; it creates a mind-body separation that mimics death by making us incredibly isolated
• Desensitization - we are overwhelmed with information to such an extent that we lose the ability to care about anything
• Narcissism - the digital world encourages the creation of a greater, trendier, and more beautiful version of ourselves online (except that it's just online)
• Passivity - as digital media fosters easy consumption of information from our couches, we lose that drive to act, to create or to live in the real world
• Ignorance - the deluge of facts has sadly not made us smarter or wiser; it has rendered us unable to really know any fact with the thoroughness which is essential for knowledge
This sobering analysis echoes the telling lines from T.S. Eliot's work:
"Where is the Life we have lost in living?
Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?
Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?"
Thankfully, the Christian worldview offers a hint at a solution. As the author reminds us, 'it is crucial to consider that the medium of Christ’s message was embodied communication, and that this may indeed be the only salvation from an otherwise technologically determined enslavement.' (p. 63) To resist the disembodying of digital media, it is wise to take seriously the art of witnessing to Christ through our personal interactions in the real world.
A call to discernment
The summary lesson for the Christian reader is found in these lines on p.67:
"If contemporary Christians wish to transmit a meaningful gospel to a world awash in meaningless media, then they have a dual dilemma to confront before they can hope to proceed successfully. The first is that they must understand how the evolution of the medium of transmission affects the meaning and reception of the message of the gospel. The second is that they must understand whether technological change necessitates a methodological change in storytelling, or whether there is a timeless principle in Scripture upon which to make effective media for Christ and his kingdom, regardless of the age in which one lives."
The Christian is called to discernment. We are not to run away from digital technologies nor retreat into an evangelical cave. That is not the point of the book. When we understand the nature of media, communication, and the myriad forms they take in our modern context, we are in a better position to select which medium would help convey our message without presenting a different gospel altogether.
Call it a digital detox, this volume is an attempt to guide Christians on thinking clearly about the modern world of media and communications.
A different theory of communication
Dr Schuchardt takes the reader right to the very beginning by considering the meaning of the terms themselves. What does Media mean? What about Communication? While we are used to thinking of communication as just the transfer of information or a message along a channel between 2 parties (a transmission model), the author points us to an alternative theory which focuses on the effect of the chosen medium itself in shaping the conveyed message (the transportation model). And in that regards, this is a really helpful book.
Ignorant zeal?
Among Christian groups, evangelicals have been known for a zeal to reach the world with the gospel. We fervently believe, and rightly so, that the world lies in darkness and that Jesus is their light. In view of this, we try to adopt every possible medium that we think will aid us in achieving this. Books, radio, newspaper, TV, the internet, and even social media, have all been adopted and enlisted in the global evangelistic campaign. Right from the days of the Reformation, the Great Awakening, the Missionary Movement (which brought the gospel to my own country), down to the phenomenal ministry of the late Billy Graham in the twentieth century, every possible medium has been explored in a massive attempt to bring people into Christ's kingdom and nurture them as disciples.
But, as this volume examines, might our uncritical zeal be smothering our message? Might our indiscretion in media selection be hurting the Church’s witness? These are the questions we are invited to ponder. In answering them, Dr Schuchardt takes us on a journey through pedagogical history. We learn of the outlook which lay behind the liberal arts education cultivated in ancient Greece and its brilliance in fostering an orientation toward lifelong learning. Aside from being a system which was in itself elegant, cumulative and integrative, it was also an attempt to get the learner to focus on the good, the true, and the beautiful (a perspective which we sorely need today in view of the deluge of 'information' via social media).
The rule of digital media
The sheer influence of the media in today's world is a cause for concern. The author described it in these stark words:
"Well, the blunt reality is that your parents, teachers, and religious leaders have been lying to you all along. They meant well, they intended the best, but they haven’t ever told you the truth. And that’s not because they didn’t mean to, want to, or try to—they are good people, for the most part. But the lie they told you wasn’t in the content of anything they said. The lie they told you was that they were your parents, your teachers, and your religious leaders. The truth is, they weren’t. The media was, and is, and will be, until you
die.”
Living as I do in the modern city of Lagos, I know that this problem is not restricted to America. A lot of ideas are brought to my mind by the media (be it Facebook or DSTV), and I am constantly being thought how to view the world by CNN. I think I am thinking but I am just being led to think along a certain direction by the platforms I interact with. And this can be startling when I remember that I am supposed to be the light of the world!
As digital media channels grow in influence, they suck (or attempt to suck) all of us into their domain. The decline of print materials (both books and periodicals) is a key casualty in this advance. But there are others. As the author describes, the 8-12 hours of daily electronic mass media consumption results in some problems of a psychological (and more significant) nature. These include:
• Disembodiment - we are simultaneously everywhere and nowhere; it creates a mind-body separation that mimics death by making us incredibly isolated
• Desensitization - we are overwhelmed with information to such an extent that we lose the ability to care about anything
• Narcissism - the digital world encourages the creation of a greater, trendier, and more beautiful version of ourselves online (except that it's just online)
• Passivity - as digital media fosters easy consumption of information from our couches, we lose that drive to act, to create or to live in the real world
• Ignorance - the deluge of facts has sadly not made us smarter or wiser; it has rendered us unable to really know any fact with the thoroughness which is essential for knowledge
This sobering analysis echoes the telling lines from T.S. Eliot's work:
"Where is the Life we have lost in living?
Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?
Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?"
Thankfully, the Christian worldview offers a hint at a solution. As the author reminds us, 'it is crucial to consider that the medium of Christ’s message was embodied communication, and that this may indeed be the only salvation from an otherwise technologically determined enslavement.' (p. 63) To resist the disembodying of digital media, it is wise to take seriously the art of witnessing to Christ through our personal interactions in the real world.
A call to discernment
The summary lesson for the Christian reader is found in these lines on p.67:
"If contemporary Christians wish to transmit a meaningful gospel to a world awash in meaningless media, then they have a dual dilemma to confront before they can hope to proceed successfully. The first is that they must understand how the evolution of the medium of transmission affects the meaning and reception of the message of the gospel. The second is that they must understand whether technological change necessitates a methodological change in storytelling, or whether there is a timeless principle in Scripture upon which to make effective media for Christ and his kingdom, regardless of the age in which one lives."
The Christian is called to discernment. We are not to run away from digital technologies nor retreat into an evangelical cave. That is not the point of the book. When we understand the nature of media, communication, and the myriad forms they take in our modern context, we are in a better position to select which medium would help convey our message without presenting a different gospel altogether.
May 10, 2018
According to some statistics, the average American Christian spends half of their week engaged with one form of media or another (34-35). Considering nothing more, the sheer amount of time spent immersed in media ought to get our attention and lead thoughtful believers to think upon the way their media habits shape them. In Media, Journalism, and Communication, Read Mercer Schuchardt attempts to tackle the interrelated areas of media, journalism, and communication from a Christian perspective. The series of which it is a part, “Reclaiming the Christian Intellectual Tradition,” is intended to present a distinctly Christian perspective, rooted in the Bible and tradition, on the intellectual challenges presented by the culture (11).
Though the book has many things to say about a Christian’s interaction with these fields, it lacks a clear organizing thesis or structure. The closest Schuchardt gets to outlining his thesis is his contention in the introduction that by studying media, journalism, and the communication arts, a student can get the best foundation for intellectual interaction with our society, a concept he calls “interdisciplinary simplexity” (achieving maximum results with minimal resources) (26-30). This idea unfortunately falls to the wayside after the introduction. Without a clear guiding argument or idea, Media amounts to a sustained and sometimes scattered reflection on the Christian’s interaction with media and communication (Journalism shows up here and there). Christians need to wrestle with the question of digital media and the effects media has on us and on our communication of the Gospel. In as much as Schuchardt raises these questions and begins the process of critical thinking in the reader, Media is a helpful book. However, I do not think it succeeds in communicating clearly nor persuasively.
The audience for which Schuchardt writes is quite broad, for the Christian student but also all others associated with the university. We could then describe the level of the book’s address as entry-level academic. Unfortunately, I found the book unclear and the connection between various sections was not always apparent. I came to this book with many years of academic theological and philosophical training and found it unclear; I suspect, therefore, that undergrad students—the intended audience—will find it even more so.
In addition to being unclear, Media, Journalism, and Communication raises good questions but is rarely ever persuasive in its argument. Sometimes this is because of an unclear train of thought (e.g., 100-101), but at other times Schuchardt argues in a haphazard and even dangerous manner.
First, his primary method for defining terms is etymological (defining by words by their parts or history); contemporary linguists are widely agreed that etymology is rarely a helpful guide to understanding words (especially in languages like English). The weakness of etymologizing shows up in this book. For example, when the average person or scholar uses the word “communication,” they rarely intend a connection with “communion” or “community”; furthermore, Schuchardt’s definition “making many one” is a clumsy way of describing only one of many purposes for which communication is undertaken (e.g., 33). Furthermore, “media” in common usage is not used as the plural of “medium,” so even if “medium” means “something that goes between,” media may not—and usually does not—mean “several things that go between” (e.g., 114).
Second, and most dangerous, is Schuchardt’s use of Scripture and the resulting contentions concerning the written word. His argument that technology is a result of the fall does not follow: we can debate whether Eden was “perfect,” yet there is no reason to believe that perfection precludes technology, especially considering the creation mandate to subdue and have dominion over the earth (100-101). Furthermore, several times Schuchardt’s arguments border on allegorical exegesis (e.g., 77, 93), a suspicion supported by his favorable reference to medieval spiritual interpretation (80-81, 91-92) and language of looking through Scripture—which is reminiscent of Platonism (e.g., 72-73, 88-89). In other instances, his argument from Scripture is wrong and used for destructive ends. The clearest instances of this are his discussions of 2 Corinthians 3:6 (73, 103), of which he writes, “even Paul pointed out that speech was life-giving while writing tended to produce a hardening of the perceptual categories: ‘… for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life’ (2 Cor. 3:6).” From this Schuchardt derives the conclusion that “the written word is itself just a visual image, and that unless its dried and desiccated husk is watered and revivified— unless it is spoken, heard, trusted, and obeyed in real time as a living word—then Scripture too can become ‘just an old book’ all too quickly in the living out of our religious faith” (83, 75). There are so many things wrong with this. For starters, 2 Corinthians 3:6 is not comparing speech and writing, as Schuchardt claims (73), but the Old Covenant written on stone tablets and the New Covenant written on fleshy hearts (3:1 – 4:6, cf. Jer 31:31-34, Ezek 36:22-32). The difference between “the letter” and “the Spirit” is the external covenant of Sinai and the internal covenant of Golgotha. Furthermore, as the reformers maintained and John Piper has argued persuasively in two recent books (A Peculiar Glory, Reading the Bible Supernaturally), the Scriptures are not powerless but vivifying and transforming: they are the very words of God and are both living and active (Heb 4:11-13). Schuchardt’s low view of the written word permeates the book and is its weakest feature.
Media, Journalism, and Communication: A Student’s Guide offers a challenge to the reader to confront their media production and digestion habits; in doing so it is of great value. If the reader wants a Postman-esque critique of technology and media from a more Christian perspective, Schuchardt’s books delivers. However, he does not improve much on Postman in clarity nor does he give his argument a firm biblical foundation. For these reasons, a lack of clear or persuasive argument, I do not recommend Media, Journalism, and Communication to the students for whom it was written.
Though the book has many things to say about a Christian’s interaction with these fields, it lacks a clear organizing thesis or structure. The closest Schuchardt gets to outlining his thesis is his contention in the introduction that by studying media, journalism, and the communication arts, a student can get the best foundation for intellectual interaction with our society, a concept he calls “interdisciplinary simplexity” (achieving maximum results with minimal resources) (26-30). This idea unfortunately falls to the wayside after the introduction. Without a clear guiding argument or idea, Media amounts to a sustained and sometimes scattered reflection on the Christian’s interaction with media and communication (Journalism shows up here and there). Christians need to wrestle with the question of digital media and the effects media has on us and on our communication of the Gospel. In as much as Schuchardt raises these questions and begins the process of critical thinking in the reader, Media is a helpful book. However, I do not think it succeeds in communicating clearly nor persuasively.
The audience for which Schuchardt writes is quite broad, for the Christian student but also all others associated with the university. We could then describe the level of the book’s address as entry-level academic. Unfortunately, I found the book unclear and the connection between various sections was not always apparent. I came to this book with many years of academic theological and philosophical training and found it unclear; I suspect, therefore, that undergrad students—the intended audience—will find it even more so.
In addition to being unclear, Media, Journalism, and Communication raises good questions but is rarely ever persuasive in its argument. Sometimes this is because of an unclear train of thought (e.g., 100-101), but at other times Schuchardt argues in a haphazard and even dangerous manner.
First, his primary method for defining terms is etymological (defining by words by their parts or history); contemporary linguists are widely agreed that etymology is rarely a helpful guide to understanding words (especially in languages like English). The weakness of etymologizing shows up in this book. For example, when the average person or scholar uses the word “communication,” they rarely intend a connection with “communion” or “community”; furthermore, Schuchardt’s definition “making many one” is a clumsy way of describing only one of many purposes for which communication is undertaken (e.g., 33). Furthermore, “media” in common usage is not used as the plural of “medium,” so even if “medium” means “something that goes between,” media may not—and usually does not—mean “several things that go between” (e.g., 114).
Second, and most dangerous, is Schuchardt’s use of Scripture and the resulting contentions concerning the written word. His argument that technology is a result of the fall does not follow: we can debate whether Eden was “perfect,” yet there is no reason to believe that perfection precludes technology, especially considering the creation mandate to subdue and have dominion over the earth (100-101). Furthermore, several times Schuchardt’s arguments border on allegorical exegesis (e.g., 77, 93), a suspicion supported by his favorable reference to medieval spiritual interpretation (80-81, 91-92) and language of looking through Scripture—which is reminiscent of Platonism (e.g., 72-73, 88-89). In other instances, his argument from Scripture is wrong and used for destructive ends. The clearest instances of this are his discussions of 2 Corinthians 3:6 (73, 103), of which he writes, “even Paul pointed out that speech was life-giving while writing tended to produce a hardening of the perceptual categories: ‘… for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life’ (2 Cor. 3:6).” From this Schuchardt derives the conclusion that “the written word is itself just a visual image, and that unless its dried and desiccated husk is watered and revivified— unless it is spoken, heard, trusted, and obeyed in real time as a living word—then Scripture too can become ‘just an old book’ all too quickly in the living out of our religious faith” (83, 75). There are so many things wrong with this. For starters, 2 Corinthians 3:6 is not comparing speech and writing, as Schuchardt claims (73), but the Old Covenant written on stone tablets and the New Covenant written on fleshy hearts (3:1 – 4:6, cf. Jer 31:31-34, Ezek 36:22-32). The difference between “the letter” and “the Spirit” is the external covenant of Sinai and the internal covenant of Golgotha. Furthermore, as the reformers maintained and John Piper has argued persuasively in two recent books (A Peculiar Glory, Reading the Bible Supernaturally), the Scriptures are not powerless but vivifying and transforming: they are the very words of God and are both living and active (Heb 4:11-13). Schuchardt’s low view of the written word permeates the book and is its weakest feature.
Media, Journalism, and Communication: A Student’s Guide offers a challenge to the reader to confront their media production and digestion habits; in doing so it is of great value. If the reader wants a Postman-esque critique of technology and media from a more Christian perspective, Schuchardt’s books delivers. However, he does not improve much on Postman in clarity nor does he give his argument a firm biblical foundation. For these reasons, a lack of clear or persuasive argument, I do not recommend Media, Journalism, and Communication to the students for whom it was written.
April 4, 2018
Not a book I would typically pick up and read, but the book's blurbs did their job here--favorable comparisons to Neil Postman and Marshall McLuhan (who I had never known was a Christian until now) caught my eye. I am glad I read this short work--Schuchardt has a clear-eyed view of the perils and profits of modern technology and social media, especially. He does well to show how the smart phone functions as an idol for tens of millions of Americans.
His thoughts on communication in the Bible is interesting as well. He believes that the ear was intended to be the main human sense of reception, but the fall displaced the ear with the eye in that role (consider the serpent's temptation of Adam and Eve). He also has provocative things to say about the OT prohibition against images, and what that might mean today.
All in all, I'd recommend this book to anyone who feels unease with modern technology and would like help putting those feelings into words.
His thoughts on communication in the Bible is interesting as well. He believes that the ear was intended to be the main human sense of reception, but the fall displaced the ear with the eye in that role (consider the serpent's temptation of Adam and Eve). He also has provocative things to say about the OT prohibition against images, and what that might mean today.
All in all, I'd recommend this book to anyone who feels unease with modern technology and would like help putting those feelings into words.
April 15, 2024
Interesting thoughts. The chapter on Christian identity was slightly confusing and seemed to ramble on. I'm not sure what point he was trying to make in that section.
But the questions in the back, the thoughts on community, the purpose of media, etc were helpful and interesting.
But the questions in the back, the thoughts on community, the purpose of media, etc were helpful and interesting.
April 7, 2018
Helpful and clear little book.
October 14, 2021
Was surprised how much I liked this one
February 17, 2018
Media, Journalism and Communication is the latest addition to Crossway’s Reclaiming the Christian Intellectual Tradition.
Schuchardt seems to be channelling Ellul in his critique of media. He provides pertinent and apposite warning of the proliferation and all-encompassing nature of the media. This is a warning that needs to be heard and taken on-board by all students.
It has often been said we can identify someone’s worldview by what they do rather than what they think. As Schuchardt points out:
‘When times are compared, our media consumption habits, in terms of hours spent, are far more holy to us than the Sabbath, by any stretch.’
The aim of the book is ‘ to make you a more conscious user, and a less susceptible usee’. The book certainly does that. He ably demonstrates the ubiquity of media and why it matters, particularly today:
‘In the past, media was something you picked up, used, and then put down to get on with your life. Now media is your life, or at least the way you access everything else necessary to get on with your life.’
So much so that media is shaping us into its image.
‘Emojis are the new hieroglyphics’
And
‘Txtng is the new Hbrw’
This book will help all who read it to better discern the ideologies and assumptions behind most media (clue: it’s usually mammon).
My only gripe with the book is that it focuses on the fallen aspects of technology. And it seems, following Ellul (?), that Schuchardt regards technology as a product of the fall and not creation.
‘There was no technology in this environment [Genesis 1] because in a perfect world, you cannot improve it by inventing any form of labor saving or time-saving devices.’
What we need then is a complementary book that deals with the creative and redemptive aspects of technology and media. Nonetheless, this is an important book that demands to be read by all students, and not just students of media.
Book website: https://www.crossway.org/books/media-...
Schuchardt seems to be channelling Ellul in his critique of media. He provides pertinent and apposite warning of the proliferation and all-encompassing nature of the media. This is a warning that needs to be heard and taken on-board by all students.
It has often been said we can identify someone’s worldview by what they do rather than what they think. As Schuchardt points out:
‘When times are compared, our media consumption habits, in terms of hours spent, are far more holy to us than the Sabbath, by any stretch.’
The aim of the book is ‘ to make you a more conscious user, and a less susceptible usee’. The book certainly does that. He ably demonstrates the ubiquity of media and why it matters, particularly today:
‘In the past, media was something you picked up, used, and then put down to get on with your life. Now media is your life, or at least the way you access everything else necessary to get on with your life.’
So much so that media is shaping us into its image.
‘Emojis are the new hieroglyphics’
And
‘Txtng is the new Hbrw’
This book will help all who read it to better discern the ideologies and assumptions behind most media (clue: it’s usually mammon).
My only gripe with the book is that it focuses on the fallen aspects of technology. And it seems, following Ellul (?), that Schuchardt regards technology as a product of the fall and not creation.
‘There was no technology in this environment [Genesis 1] because in a perfect world, you cannot improve it by inventing any form of labor saving or time-saving devices.’
What we need then is a complementary book that deals with the creative and redemptive aspects of technology and media. Nonetheless, this is an important book that demands to be read by all students, and not just students of media.
Book website: https://www.crossway.org/books/media-...
February 26, 2018
Media, Journalism and Communication: A Student Guide
By Read Mercer Schuchardt
This student guide, explores the opportunities and hazards of modern communication, including news media from a Christian position.
It explores why media matters in a 24/7 news world and the role of social media in the age of global information warfare, before presenting a Christian perspective on identity in a digital world.
The facts remain that in the western world, children and adults spend more time being influenced by television and other forms of media, than any other factor. This book educates the reader to consider their use and engagement with media in a digital age.
The author highlights the dangers of media directing our thinking through reality television shows, and social media sites. The author claims that we have become desensitised and passive in the direct that media is taking us.
While the book provides a base for further study, it is a little confusing as to the purpose. It is a text to convince students, or a read to inform?
Thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#Media,journalism,andCommunication #NetGalley
Reviewed by Heath Henwood
www.books-reviewed.weebly.com
By Read Mercer Schuchardt
This student guide, explores the opportunities and hazards of modern communication, including news media from a Christian position.
It explores why media matters in a 24/7 news world and the role of social media in the age of global information warfare, before presenting a Christian perspective on identity in a digital world.
The facts remain that in the western world, children and adults spend more time being influenced by television and other forms of media, than any other factor. This book educates the reader to consider their use and engagement with media in a digital age.
The author highlights the dangers of media directing our thinking through reality television shows, and social media sites. The author claims that we have become desensitised and passive in the direct that media is taking us.
While the book provides a base for further study, it is a little confusing as to the purpose. It is a text to convince students, or a read to inform?
Thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#Media,journalism,andCommunication #NetGalley
Reviewed by Heath Henwood
www.books-reviewed.weebly.com
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews