The power of the popular press presents all modern societies with difficulties. It is, however, a problem with a history: the hold of the press over public opinion was debated with urgency throughout the 19th century. This book looks at the ways in which individuals, pressure groups, political organisations and the state sought to understand the mass communications media of the 19th century, and use them to influence public opinion and effect moral and social reform. Aled Jones addresses the problem by using three approaches: first he considers the 19th century theories of the influence of communications media on patterns of social thought and behaviour; then he examines attitudes towards the press in both high and popular culture; finally he explores the social and intellectual world of the reader, the consumer both of the press as a commodity and of the hidden moral strategies that were built into it. The tensions between Victorian moral imperatives and the operation of the free commercial market raised issues of great public concern, such as whether the mass media should be under private or public control. These tensions have dominated the way in which Britain and other western societies have thought about the newer broadcasting media, but their origins are older and more complex than studies of contemporary media acknowledge.

Examines the fairness and depth of the American press's coverage of federal, state, and local governments

War and Press Freedom: The Problem of Prerogative Power is a groundbreaking and provocative study of one of the most perplexing civil liberties issues in American history: What authority does or should the government have to control press coverage and commentary in wartime? First Amendment scholar Jeffery A. Smith shows convincingly that no such extraordinary power exists under the Constitution, and that officials have had to rely on claiming the existence of an autocratic "higher law" of survival. Smith carefully surveys the development of statutory restrictions and military regulations for the news media from the ratification of the Bill of Rights in 1791 through the Gulf War of 1991. He concludes that the armed forces can justify refusal to divulge a narrow range of defense secrets, but that imposing other restrictions is unwise, unnecessary, and unconstitutional. In any event, as electronic communication becomes almost impossible to constrain, soldiers and journalists must learn how to respect each other's obligations in a democratic system.

How was god-man Chandraswami exposed despite the tantric guru's close association with prominent leaders and media barons? How did Alok Mehta expose the Fodder Scam in 1990 that eventually led to the arrest of Lalu Prasad Yadav? How did editors and investigative correspondents reveal murky arms deals, such as the Bofors scandal? Is 'paid news' the new normal in Indian media? How did this game of corruption start? What were the political pressures on senior editors like Vinod Mehta and Kuldip Nayar that led to their resignation? Power, Press and Politics is a groundbreaking, insider account of the workings of the Indian media-both print and electronic, and English, Hindi and regional publications-from acclaimed journalist and Padma Shri awardee Alok Mehta. Deriving from his experience spanning across 50 years, Mehta brings to life these incidents and cases as he had been right in the eye of these storms. Starting his career from a news agency and a Hindi daily, Mehta had worked with leading media houses, such as The Times of India, Hindustan Times, Outlook Group, Dainik Bhaskar and Naidunia, sharing a close association with some of the finest editors and journalists of the country. Citing various landmark cases and judgements, Mehta throws light on the delicate balance between the media and judiciary, both of which are crucial to the health of our democracy. Having helmed the Editors Guild of India, he has had the privileged access to various significant reports, which have been included in this splendidly researched work. A powerful commentary on the Indian media, this is a must-read for media students, institutions and anyone who wishes to understand the working and challenges of the media.

An introduction to the history, sociology, theory and politics of media and communication studies, this text is a guide for all those involved with the production and consumption of the media. It now includes new material dealing with the Internet and the rise of new media in Britain.

This book tells the rich and often heroic story of the press in Liberia. Early newspapers were infused with a broad race consciousness which gave way to a specific nationalism at the turn of the last century. Initially, newspapers featured biting social commentary and enjoyed wide latitude to criticise officials, but restrictions were soon applied. Exploring the uses and abuses of power, the author demonstrates that the experience of Liberia provides a sobering corrective to the current euphoria regarding the effects of globalisation.