Media Literacy / Edition 7

by W. James Potter

Overview

This textbook helps undergraduate and graduate students develop their media literacy and analytical skills. Potter (U. of California, Santa Barbara) addresses such topics as the influence of advertising on content; the effects of media on children's cognitive development; and the importance of real-world knowledge. New to the third edition are chapters on media influence on sports; media violence; and privacy and piracy issues. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781483306674
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	11/21/2013
Edition description:	Seventh Edition
Pages:	536
Product dimensions:	7.40(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

W. James Potter joined the Department of Communication in the fall of 2001. A holder of a Ph.D. in Communication Theory and another in Instructional Systems, he has also taught at Western Michigan University, Florida State University, Indiana University, UCLA, and Stanford University. He is a former editor of the Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media as well as the editor of the forthcoming Encyclopedia of Media Violence. He has published numerous scholarly articles, book chapters, and 15 books.

His research focuses primarily on media literacy and media violence. He is currently at work on a general of theory of the mass media in which he plans to integrate the theories and research findings about the mass media industries, their content, audiences, and effects into a unified system of explanation.

Table of Contents

PART 1: INTRODUCTION
1. Living in a Message-Saturated World
2. The Media Literacy Approach
PART 2: AUDIENCE
3. Individual Perspective
4. Industry Perspective on Audience
5. Children as a Special Audience
PART 3: INDUSTRY
6. Development of the Mass Media Industries
7. The Economic Game
PART 4: CONTENT
8. Reality Programming
9. News
10. Entertainment
11. Advertising
12. Interactive Media
PART 5: EFFECTS
13. Broadening Our Perspective on Media Effects
14. How Does the Media Effects Process Work?
PART 6: CONFRONTING THE ISSUES
15. Who Owns and Controls the Media?
16. Privacy
17. Piracy
18. Violence
19. Sports
PART 7: THE SPRINGBOARD
20. Helping Yourself and Others to Increase Media Literacy

Editorial Reviews

A broad introduction for undergraduates, spanning many of the boundaries set up in academia to study media and offering a blend of critical and social scientific perspectives. Learning features include chapter summaries, exercises, key concepts, and a "self-help" tone that speaks directly to students. Coverage includes the importance of media literacy, how the mind works, commercial advertising, economic terms and concepts, media ownership and control, and media effects. Includes a media literacy quiz and answers. Especially useful for typical undergraduate students whose knowledge base in media and culture is wide but not deep. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

Booknews

A reliable book focused entirely on media literacy that is very thorough and well researched. W. James Potter is a well-respected author with sterling credentials and a reputation for credibility.”

Donna L. Halper

Potter’s book is great for an introductory course for majors and non-majors alike…students also really love the book because the examples are current and the activities allow them to use their favorite media to develop a deeper level of media literacy.”

Elizabeth R. Ortiz

One of the best texts in plain language describing the effects of media literacy on the public.

Franklin Donaldson

"The book covers a range of material in an accessible and interesting way. Points of distinction: readability, accessibility, and comprehensiveness."

Dolores Flamiano

"This Media Literacy text goes far beyond any other I’ve seen in helping students learn how to become better informed media consumers rather than simply sponges which absorb whatever they see and hear from different mass media. Consequently, this textbook helps make basic concepts of Media Literacy valuable, memorable and meaningful long after the semester in which it is used."

Rebecca Dumlao