Books in the Critical Media Studies: Institutions, Politics, and Culture series

Critiques global mediascape through feminist perspectives, highlighting concerns of policy, power, labor, and technology. Starting with the state of international communications, this work covers cases on online news, pornography, democracy, policies for women's development, violence against women, information workers, print media and telecentres.

A survey of the historical roots, theoretical foundations and normative claims of 20th-century conceptualizations of public opinion. It examines research strategies such as polling, the "spiral of silence" model, and the role of the media in the formation and expression of public opinion.

Has copyright protection gone too far in keeping the music from the masses? This book shows how the online music industry establishes the model for digital distribution, cultural access, and consumer privacy. It also explores the implications of downloading music.

Democratizing Global Media explores the complex relationship between globalizing media and the spread of democracy around the world. An international, interdisciplinary group of journalists and scholars discusses key_and often contentious_issues such as the power of media, the benefits of media globalization, and the political role of media. More than a critique, Democratizing Global Media offers positive alternatives, from peace journalism to popular movements toward democratizing media and public communication.

Dispels the myth that the television industry is giving viewers the programming they want to see and, thus, we as viewers are responsible for the existence of shows like "Fear Factor" and yet another "Survivor". Introducing us to the political economy of television, the author covers programming and organizations that seek industry accountability.

Looking at issues of globalization, science, politics, gender, etc. this book advocates a new agenda not only for communication research, but also for the writing that comes out of it.

This anthology of hard-to-find primary documents provides a solid overview of the foundations of American media studies. Focusing on mass communication and society and how this research fits into larger patterns of social thought, this valuable collection features key texts covering the media studies traditions of the Chicago school, the effects tradition, the critical theory of the Frankfurt school, and mass society theory. Where possible, articles are reproduced in their entirety to preserve the historical flavor and texture of the original works. Topics include popular theater, yellow journalism, cinema, books, public relations, political and military propaganda, advertising, opinion polling, photography, the avant-garde, popular magazines, comics, the urban press, radio drama, soap opera, popular music, and television drama and news. This text is ideal for upper-level courses in mass communication and media theory, media and society, mass communication effects, and mass media history.

The Film Studio sheds new light on the evolution of global film production, highlighting the role of film studios worldwide. The authors explore the contemporary international production environment, identifying various types of film studios and investigating the consequences for Hollywood, international film production, and the studio locations.

In Hollywood's search for cheap, distinctive, and authentic locations, producers and directors are taking their business to foreign soil. Only one of the five 2002 Best Picture nominees was shot in the United States-The Hours, filmed in Hollywood, Florida. Contracting Out Hollywood addresses the American trend of "runaway productions"-the growing practice of producing American films and television programs on foreign shores. Greg Elmer and Mike Gasher have gathered a group of contributors who seek to explain the phenomenon from historical, political, economic, and cultural perspectives, using case studies, challenges to contemporary screen, media, and globalization theories, and analyses of changing government politics toward cultural industries.

This work covers the worldwide growth of alternative media that are challenging the power concentration in large media corporations. Topics include independent media centres, gay online networks and alternative Web discussion forums, and political journalism and social networks.

This analysis offers a global perspective on how people with disabilities are represented as users, consumers, viewers or listeners of new media by policymakers, corporations, programmers and the disabled themselves.

Looking beyond the protection of personal data in the new technological age, Serge Gutwirth advances the thesis that privacy is the safeguard of personal freedom - the safeguard of the individual's freedom to decide who she or he is, what she or he does, and who knows about it.

This work explores a mix of topics and issues that link to the heritage of political economy work, policy studies, and research and theory about the public sphere. The topics include market structures and media concentration, regulation and policy, and information poverty.