Media Literacy: Keys to Interpreting Media Messages

by Art Silverblatt, Donald C. Miller, Julie Smith, Nikole Brown

Overview

Covering print, photography, film, radio, television, and new media, this textbook instructs readers on how to take a critical approach to media and interpret the information overload that is disseminated via mass communication.

This fourth edition of Keys to Interpreting Media Messages supplies a critical and qualitative approach to media literacy analysis. Now updated with conceptual changes, current examples, updated references, and coverage of new developments in media— particularly in digital, interactive forms—this book addresses all forms of information disseminated via mass communication.

Organized into three sections, the book first presents a theoretical framework for the critical analysis of media text that covers the definition of media literacy as well as fundamental principles and concepts. Part II focuses on the application of this methodological framework to the analysis of advertising, jourbanalism, American political communications, and interactive media. Part III considers specific mass media issues, such as violence in the media, media and children, and global communications, and discusses outcomes of having a media-literate population.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781440830914
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	05/30/2014
Edition description:	4th ed.
Pages:	560
Product dimensions:	6.40(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.50(d)

About the Author

Art Silverblatt, PhD, is professor of communications and jourbanalism at Webster University, St. Louis, MO, and vice president of Gateway Media Literacy Partners (GMLP), a regional media literacy consortium.

Andrew Smith is full-time professor in the School of Communications at Lindenwood University, teaching courses in media literacy, mass communication, film, and interactive media.

Don Miller is faculty at Webster University School of Communication.

Julie Smith is professor of media literacy at Webster University.

Nikole Brown is a graduate student in media literacy/education at Webster University.

Table of Contents

Preface to the Fourth Edition
PART 1: INTRODUCTION
1. Introduction to Media Literacy
PART 2: KEYS TO INTERPRETING MEDIA MESSAGES
2. Process
3. Historical Context
4. Cultural Context
5. Structure
6. Framework
7. Production Elements
Worksheet: Keys to Interpreting Media Messages
PART 3: MEDIA FORMATS
8. Jourbanalism
9. Advertising
10. American Political Communications
11. Digital Media Communications
PART 4: ISSUES AND OUTCOMES
12. Issues in Media Communications
13. Outcomes
Suggested Reading
Index

Editorial Reviews

Silverblatt (communications and journalism, Webster U., St. Louis) hopes to enable students to understand better the information conveyed through the channels of mass communication, particularly to help them achieve a healthy independence from the pervasive influence of the media and make up their own minds about issues. After constructing a theoretical framework, he encourages students to apply it to a variety of media formats, among them journalism, advertising, American political communications, and interactive communications. Finally he discusses media issues such as violence and social change. He has updated examples and made corrections in the 1995 edition. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

Silverblatt (Webster Univ.) and his fellow authors carefully scaffold this book to include introductory definitions of media literacy terminology in sociocultural and political contexts in which media are produced, distributed, and consumed. . . . The book could be incorporated into introductory-level undergraduate or graduate courses in media studies, jourbanalism, and communications and enjoyed by anyone interested in learning more about mass media. . . . Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates, graduate students, general readers.” —Choice

From the Publisher