Media of Mass Communication, The (8th Edition) (MyMassCommLab Series) [Paperback]

John C Vivian (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0205477534 | ISBN-13: 978-0205477531 | Publication Date: March 30, 2006 | Edition: 8

This up-to-date, reader-friendly presentation of the mass media helps instructors use the media to teach the media and explore its excitement, complexity, and impact on our lives. Widely praised for his ability to make learning interesting, Vivian's story-telling style excites students as they explore the ever-changing subject of mass communication. This edition retains the emphasis on the challenges of today's media while building on its extensive coverage of media history, effects, technology, and culture. The coverage of media literacy, at the core of Vivian's text since the first edition, has been enhanced with two new features that push students to think critically. The three part-organization-the media, media messages, and media issues-provides a framework for students to understand the big picture behind today's media issues.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

This up-to-date, reader-friendly presentation of mass media helps instructors use the media to teach the media and explore its excitement, complexity, and impact on our lives.

Widely praised for his ability to make learning interesting, Vivian’s story-telling style excites students as they explore the ever-changing subject of mass communication. This edition retains the emphasis on the challenges of today's media while building on its extensive coverage of media history, effects, technology, and culture. The coverage of media literacy, at the core of Vivian’s text since the first edition, has been enhanced with two new features that push students to think critically. The three part-organization–the media, media messages, and media issues–provides a framework for students to understand the big picture behind today’s media issues.

New to the Eighth Edition

• Seven new “Case Studies,” found throughout the book, each look in depth at a relevant media issue and then invite students to analyze its impact.
• “Deepening Your Media Literacy,” a new student project at the end of each chapter, encourages students (in groups or individually) to “dig deeper” to analyze a media problem and enhance their media literacy.
• New Media Technology boxes explore and help demystify the ever-changing world of media technology.
• The text and photo program has been thoroughly updated throughout with the latest examples and information on media trends, challenges, concepts, personalities, and issues.

Product Details

• Paperback: 544 pages
• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon; 8 edition (March 30, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0205477534
• ISBN-13: 978-0205477531
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #554,069 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars If You Have To Take A Class..., September 27, 2005

By 

V. Humphries "nessapat" (Columbus, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Media of Mass Communication, The (7th Edition) (Paperback)

I'm using this book in an online class on mass communication and I have to admit that I actually enjoy reading this book.

It covers every area of the media and its a very simple and informative read. 'Simple' used in this context means that I don't have to re-read a paragraph two or three times, just to make sense of what the author is trying to convey.

The chapters are pretty short, and the book has lots of nice, bright pictures (that's my inner child speaking). Each chapter begins with stories about a media personality and that's always interesting. I end up saying "I didn't know that," a lot to myself.

What I really like about the book is that its very up to the moment. It even mentions Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction.

So, if you have to take a class, especially an online class, it's nice to have a textbook that's so user friendly.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Unbalanced and unreadable, January 24, 2010

By 

J.A. - See all my reviews

This review is from: Media of Mass Communication, The (9th Edition) (Paperback)

This book is utterly basic and not fit for even a community college class, more like a junior high or maybe a high school class. Presumably, it's written for people who don't know what the author is talking about and are completely stupid. The author never fails to bring his own viewpoints into supposedly writing an objective, educational book. My professor confessed that they wouldn't have used this book to teach the class, but that they were taking over the class for the first time from another professor who had used it.

I was taking a mass communication class that used this book, but dropped the class in favor of spending more time working on the school paper. I missed absolutely nothing, and in fact, learned more about mass communication this way.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Misleading Description!, August 20, 2011

By 

Bibliomaniac - See all my reviews

This review is from: Media of Mass Communication, The (10th Edition) (Paperback)

If you are buying this book thinking this is the text required for your course - don't buy this edition! From the description, I thought that this is the text WITH the MyCommunicationLab Series materials that Allyn and Bacon/Pearson distributes as a shrink-wrapped package. HOWEVER, this listing is misleading, this is JUST the text. You have to order and pay for the MyCommunicationLab Series materials separately if you buy this book. And they are not available through Amazon. So if you are getting this text for casual reading, OK, but if you are getting it for a course text be sure to order ISBN 978-0-205-79897-1. The good news is that Amazon is good about returns and this book is going back.