The Media of Mass Communication

This up-to-date, reader-friendly presentation of the mass media helps instructors use the media to teach the media and explore its excitement, complexity, and impact on our lives. Widely praised for his ability to make learning interesting, Vivian’s story-telling style excites students as they explore the ever-changing subject of mass communication. This edition retains the emphasis on the challenges of today’s media while building on its extensive coverage of media history, effects, technology, and culture. The coverage of media literacy, at the core of Vivian’s text since the first edition, has been enhanced with two new features that push students to think critically. The three part-organization-the media, media messages, and media issues-provides a framework for students to understand the big picture behind today’s media issues.