The Sociology of News (Contemporary Sociology) [Paperback]

Michael Schudson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 7, 2003 | ISBN-10: 0393975134 | ISBN-13: 978-0393975130 | Edition: 1

The Sociology of News offers a brief, but comprehensive account of the origins, structures, operating practices, codes, and cultures of the contemporary news media, analyzing the question of the consequences of news on society—and politics, in particular.

Michael Schudson treats soberly and skeptically a great deal of what passes for wisdom about the press in popular opinion, academic research, and journalists’ own self-understanding. The book’s ultimate objective is not to settle controversies involving the press, but to define them and to characterize the role that news institutions play in the formation of modern public consciousness. The Sociology of News is part of the Contemporary Societies series

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Michael Schudson, a Professor of Journalism at Columbia, is the author of seven books and editor of three others on the history and sociology of the American news media, the history of U.S. citizenship and political participation, and related topics. His most recent book is Why Democracies Need an Unlovable Press (2008). He has received a Guggenheim Fellowship and a MacArthur Foundation "genius" award.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; 1 edition (February 7, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393975134
• ISBN-13: 978-0393975130
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #696,300 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thoughtful And Accessible, May 31, 2011

By 

Chris Lavin - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Sociology of News (Contemporary Sociology) (Paperback)

I used this book for a senior seminar on news and culture. The students loved the book and enjoyed the discussions it spurred on the origins of cultural elements they had taken for granted. Dr. Schudson has, in my estimation, developed a series of books that offer the most thoughtful and accessible analysis of media in a complex culture. It is clear he understands the folkways of the news organizations and the complexities of social science. He brings them together in ways that win the respect of both sociologists and news veterans. Schudson reminds me in some ways of the late Christopher Lasch, able to make the complex accessible. A true gift.I commend this book to anyone who wants to rise above the talk-TV analysis of news and understand its unique place in American democracy and I look forward to the next edition of this book, which I'm sure will update to include the effects of the dispersion of news sources in an increasingly digital culture.