mediaculture9eupdate

The Ninth Edition Update Keeps Media and Culture Current

The media move and change quickly, and the digital turn has only accelerated this process. Since the publication of the ninth edition, we’ve seen the conflicts—over National Security Agency (NSA) leaks and policies, the morality of awards-show performances, the shifting fortunes of various media outlets, and divisive politics—unfold over YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and other feeds. The speed of these stories means that understanding the complex connections between the media and our culture is more important than ever.

With the ninth edition update, we go beyond the addition of current events and trends—though we do include those, too—and focus on what these changes mean. We demonstrate to students the centrality of media in our lives, and help them become informed media consumers, by showing them how to critically analyze media events today, as they happen. The updated edition of Media and Culture extends the bridge between media history and the media right now.

The update includes:

An in-depth examination of data security in light of recent NSA revelations, covered in the new Extended Case Study, “Patriot or Traitor? Unveiling Government Surveillance of Us,” takes students through stories about Edward Snowden, Bradley Manning, leaked information, and government data surveillance using the five-step critical process. By examining how the news media cover these media-related issues, students will gain a greater understanding of the media’s role both in disseminating these leaks and covering the accompanying news story.
New chapter openers examine the latest trends and events, including digital developments like advertisements on the new Google Glass augmented-reality device and Amazon’s purchase of the Washington Post. Other new openers reflect ongoing changes to media and culture, spotlighting celebrities’ attempts to control their public relations and the success of independent musicians in an altered industry.
Updated and expanded coverage throughout ensures that Media and Culture has the most relevant material available. In addition to up-to-date statistics and economic information, the ninth edition update includes insightful analysis of topics like shifting television viewing habits, ownership changes of both digital and traditional media, innovations in online content, and video-sharing in social media.