Mass Communication: Living in a Media World

That the media world is changing at a dizzying pace is a statement of the obvious. Yet, some things do remain constant. There are principles of media literacy, which once students have mastered, arm them with the tools and critical thinking they need to be savvy and self-aware consumers of the media. Ralph Hanson does this in every page of his book. Oh, but there is so much more. The fourth edition of Mass Communication is now a full-color Media Edition which means, at no extra cost to your students, they now have access to an interactive ebook when they buy a new print copy. Through a series of icons, students link to a wealth of multimedia assets-including audio, video, data, articles, reference, and policy backgrounders from CQ Researcher-right where it matters most: on the exact page where a topic is discussed. Students can immediately dive deeper and explore an important concept or idea while reading. There is also an important assessment piece. For each "Test Your Media Literacy" box, students can answer critical thinking questions, as well as take a chapter quiz making sure they master chapter objectives. All answers and quiz results feed an instructor gradebook so you can efficiently track participation and comprehension. It's an enhanced, enriching, and interactive learning experience. And for those who used Hanson for the past three editions, we know you appreciate the book's smart approach and value price. The good news is that there is one more tool to get students engaged and reading: a good read, an affordable price, and now, full-color design. The addition of color clearly enhances photos, but also improves the book's pedagogic muscle, with colored text that highlights the Seven Truths principles, with global icons signifying comparative examples and international content, and with a new "Test Your Visual Media Literacy" box that helps students really think about the reactions they have to media images they see everyday. Reminders of the book's media literacy principles are Hanson's Seven Truths "they" don't want you to know about the media: 1. The media are essential components of our lives. 2. There are no mainstream media (MSM). 3. Everything from the margin moves to the center. 4. Nothing's new-everything that happened in the past will happen again. 5. New media are always scary. 6. Activism and analysis is not the same thing. 7. There is no "they." The fourth edition delivers comprehensive yet compact coverage, incisive analysis, and fun, conversational writing. While Hanson delves into critical theory, and will take a critical stance on the media, he does not believe the media are something to be feared or demonized, but rather are an essential part of the way we live.