The Media Studies Toolkit

Michael Z. Newman's book is a critical primer that introduces newcomers to the key concepts, issues, and vocabulary of media studies, covering topics such as text and audience, citizenship and consumerism, film and TV, mobile games, social media, popular music, video sharing platforms, journalism, and search engines. It takes a critical, cultural approach, covering topics that apply across many kinds of media scholarship, bridging the humanities and the social sciences, and looking at media as a global phenomenon. It considers media in relation to society and its unequal structures of power, and relates media representations to their conditions of production in media industries and consumption in the everyday lives of audiences and users.

Format: Hardback
Length: 274 pages
Publication date: 04 March 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

In this comprehensive primer, Michael Z. Newman delves into the fundamental concepts, issues, and terminology of media studies, catering to newcomers to the field. Spanning ten chapters, Newman explores a wide range of topics, including text and audience, citizenship, consumerism, and more. Drawing from a diverse array of media examples, both old and new, the book seamlessly integrates film and television, mobile games, social media, popular music, and video-sharing platforms with journalism and search engines. While maintaining a critical, cultural perspective, the book encompasses topics relevant to various branches of media scholarship, bridging the humanities and social sciences. It examines media as a global phenomenon, considering its relationship with society and its unequal power structures. Moreover, it explores how media representations are shaped by the conditions of production within media industries and the consumption experiences of audiences and users in their everyday lives.

The book spans historical periods, encompassing both mass media and the emergence of online participatory culture. It critically examines assumptions about media that were formulated in a previous era and proposes ways to update our thinking to address the ever-changing digital media landscape. With its clear and accessible writing style, this book is an invaluable resource for undergraduate students studying media, communication, and cultural studies, as well as anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the media.

Weight: 689g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367441159