Includes index.

Mass communication: Convergence, culture, and media literacy -- Research and effects -- Books -- Newspapers -- Magazines -- Recordings & Music -- Radio -- Movies -- Television -- Internet and Gaming -- Journalism -- Public Relations -- Advertising -- Ethics & Communication Law.

"For major communication students, the Intro to Mass Communication course serves as a vital foundation to help shape their career directions in the field. Students need to learn theory and history to be well rounded and critical thinkers, but they find their true passion when they understand how paradigms and milestones connect to current technologies that can make mass communication part of their professional lives. For non-majors, the course is an opportunity to gain insight into how they might use mass communication in their lives, regardless of their eventual occupation. This transformation only happens when students are guided thoughtfully through the historical innovations and career possibilities that exist professionally. With this in mind, Essential Mass Communication: Convergence, Culture, and Media Literacy provides the critical theories and historical context of existing mainstream texts, but goes beyond academic introductions by including professional practice across professional communication and digital media. Offering foundations and guides toward future directions in a meaningful way across introductory and upper level mass communication courses, Essential Mass Communication presents a novel and highly versatile overview of mass communication and media literacy. Using the DIET method, students will learn how to define, interpret, evaluate, and trust the information they receive from various communication sources, and strengthen their ability to analyse the media their consume"-- Provided by publisher.