Censorship: A Beginner's Guide

by Julian Petley

Overview

Ever wonder what you're not being told?

When we think of the word "censorship", we imagine blacked out words and authoritarian political regimes of the past. However, censorship is alive and well today, and just as pervasive in capitalist democracies as repressive regimes. Offering a potted history of the phenomenon from the execution of Socrates in 399BC to the latest in internet filtering, Petley provides an impassioned manifesto for freedom of speech. Also explaining how media monopolies and moguls censor by limiting what news/entertainment they impart, this is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in global media in the information age.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781780741383
Publisher:	Oneworld Publications
Publication date:	12/01/2012
Series:	Beginner's Guides
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	216
File size:	340 KB

About the Author

Julian Petley is professor of Film and Television at Brunel University. He is the author of several books on censorship, and has written for the Guardian and Independent.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

1 Death and destruction 8

2 Indexes and licenses 28

3 Seals and ratings 47

4 Councillors and classifiers 74

5 Blocks and filters 97

6 Markets and moguls 126

Conclusion: censorship and freedom ofexpression 160

Endnotes 179

Index 192

Editorial Reviews

"This is an important and timely book and I recommend it to anyone who thinks that censorship belongs to the pages of history."

Tribune

"A timely and vigorous defence of freedom of speech against censorship in all its insidious forms."

UCL Eric Barendt - Goodman Professor of Media Law

"A much needed and thought-provoking introduction to the current state of free expression. In just a couple of hundred succinct pages, Julian Petley brings his usual lucidity to bear on the complexities at hand."

Brian Winston - Faculty of Media

"An essential read for anyone concerned about this curiously neglected area of media scholarship. A timely reminder about the dangers of censorship for democratic societies."

Cardiff University Bob Franklin - Professor of Journalism Studies