Mediated Authenticity: How the Media Constructs Reality

by Gunn Enli

Overview

Through case studies, this book examines mediated authenticity in broadcast and online media, from the infamous War of the Worlds broadcast, quiz show scandals, to manufactured reality-TV shows, blog hoaxes and fake social media, and the construction of Obama as an authentic politician.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781433114861
Publisher:	Peter Lang Inc., International Academic Publishers
Publication date:	01/29/2015
Pages:	164
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.80(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Gunn Enli (PhD, University of Oslo) is Associate Professor in the Department of Media and Communication at the University of Oslo.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vii

Chapter 1 The Paradox of Mediated Authenticity 1

Chapter 2 Genres as Authenticity Illusions: The War of the Worlds 23

Chapter 3 Money, Fraud, and Deception: The Quiz Show Scandals 45

Chapter 4 Ordinariness as Authenticity: The Reality TV Genre 65

Chapter 5 Fake Personas and Blog Hoaxes: Illusions in Social Media 87

Chapter 6 Performed Authenticity: The Obama Campaigns 109

Chapter 7 Towards a Theory of Mediated Authenticity 131

References 139

Index 159

Editorial Reviews

«A terrific and timely book that through a historical journey of authenticity in the broadcast and digital ages gives us new ways of thinking about mediated authenticity and reveals the complex relationships we have with what we discover (or perhaps always already knew) to be the illusion of the real.» (Jennifer Stromer-Galley, Syracuse University)
«Enli offers an important new way to think about the history of reality as presented by the media. The book demonstrates how the media secure public faith, as well as why people’s faith in the media breaks down over time.» (Lynn Spigel, Northwestern University)
«A fascinating study of the ambiguity at the heart of all mediated communication. Real or not? True or not? Authentic… or not? In ‘Mediated Authenticity’ Gunn Enli deftly examines how radio, television and social media construct reality and how global audiences respond to them. An invaluable contribution to current international research into reality TV and beyond.» (Paddy Scannell, University of Michigan)

«A terrific and timely book that through a historical journey of authenticity in the broadcast and digital ages gives us new ways of thinking about mediated authenticity and reveals the complex relationships we have with what we discover (or perhaps always already knew) to be the illusion of the real.» (Jennifer Stromer-Galley, Syracuse University)
«Enli offers an important new way to think about the history of reality as presented by the media. The book demonstrates how the media secure public faith, as well as why people’s faith in the media breaks down over time.» (Lynn Spigel, Northwestern University)
«A fascinating study of the ambiguity at the heart of all mediated communication. Real or not? True or not? Authentic… or not? In ‘Mediated Authenticity’ Gunn Enli deftly examines how radio, television and social media construct reality and how global audiences respond to them. An invaluable contribution to current international research into reality TV and beyond.» (Paddy Scannell, University of Michigan)

From the Publisher