Media Today: An Introduction to Mass Communication, 2010 Update

Media Today puts students at the center of profound changes in the twenty-first century media world – from digital convergence to media ownership – and gives them the skills to think critically about how these changes affect their lives.

Media Today, Third Edition 2010 Update is built around four key concepts:

• A media systems approach allows students to understand the interconnected system of media products that surrounds them every day
• Unique insights into media trends give students an insider’s perspective on how media industries are responding to changes from globalization to social networking
• Emphasis on the centrality of digital convergence demonstrates in each chapter how digital media is transforming traditional mass media such as newspapers, magazines, and television
• A media literacy goal encourages and builds critical skills to make students more informed and responsible citizens in our media-driven society

In the 2010 Update to Media Today, over 40% of the textboxes and photos were updated to reflect the latest cultural and technological issues affecting media industries, along with case studies and activities designed to build media literacy. Additional learning resources include an enclosed DVD with media examples for further study and classroom discussion, and a free interactive companion website with a full range of instructor and student materials at www.routledge.com/textbooks/MediaTodayUpdate.

Joseph Turow is Robert Lewis Shayon Professor of Communication at the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communication. A former Chair of the Mass Communication Division of the International Communication Association, he has authored eight books, edited five books, and written more than 100 articles on mass media industries.