This study examines the situation of public broadcasting worldwide, in a number of different contexts, from a variety of thematic perspectives. The result is a global report on the question of public service broadcasting

The 21st century is already seeing fundamental changes in broadcasting. No longer are audiences limited to watching or listening to television and radio at the times and places dictated by the broadcasters, or on radio or TV 'sets'. Broadcasting in the 21st Century demonstrates how 'traditional' television and radio is being both challenged and supported by technological developments, including convergence and social media. Drawing on interviews with industry personnel and featuring case studies and research from many countries, including that from the UK, USA, China, India and South Africa, Richard Rudin explains not only the significance of these changes but also how many of the functions and pleasures of broadcasting that were established in the 20th century are being enhanced by new media. Opening with a substantial account of how broadcasting developed in the 20th century, the author goes on to explore how new media forms are changing audiences' pleasures, expectations and demands. Rudin's illuminating study highlights the changing relationship between audiences and broadcast output to examine a range of subjects including: - The impact of citizens' journalism - Political coverage - International TV formats and news output - The continuing appeal of radio as a distinct medium - Debates over bias, truth and trust in broadcasting and broadcasters In addition, Broadcasting in the 21st Century addresses a range of broadcast forms and genres including the coverage of general elections, Reality TV and pirate radio.

The main objectives of the series correspond to those of the journal Communications: The European Journal of Communication Research, also published by Mouton de Gruyter. The discipline of communication science is concerned with investigation of the structure and function of mass communication processes and their impact on society and social groups. How these processes have an impact on values, knowledge, opinions and behaviour of individuals similarly constitutes an important area of concern for the discipline. The Communications Monograph series emphasizes these concerns of the discipline through publication of books taking a European social science perspective. Inasmuch as mass communication cannot be studied distinct from other modes of communication, the purpose of the Series is to publish material covering other communication forms - intrapersonal, interpersonal, organizational - in addition to mass communication. In other words, the Communications Monograph series encompasses the entire field of communication science as its domain of interest. Special attention is addressed to the publication of titles that serve as main texts for academic courses and focus on such topics as communication theory and methodology, mass media and production of mediated messages, media use, reception processes, and media impact, political and marketing communication, advertising, public relations and propaganda, media policy, new media technologies and electronic networks, media history and media development.

The Concise Encyclopedia of American Radio is an essential single-volume reference guide to this vital and evolving medium. Comprised of more than 300 entries spanning the invention of radio to the Internet, this refernce work addresses personalities, music genres, regulations, technology, programming and stations, the "golden age" of radio and other topics relating to radio broadcasting throughout its history. The entries are updated throughout and the volume includes nine new entries on topics ranging from podcasting to the decline of radio.

The Global Journalist in the 21st Century systematically assesses the demographics, education, socialization, professional attitudes and working conditions of journalists in various countries around the world. This book updates the original Global Journalist (1998) volume with new data, adding more than a dozen countries, and provides material on comparative research about journalists that will be useful to those interested in doing their own studies. The editors put together this collection working under the assumption that journalists’ backgrounds, working conditions and ideas are related to what is reported (and how it is covered) in the various news media round the world, in spite of societal and organizational constraints, and that this news coverage matters in terms of world public opinion and policies. Outstanding features include: Coverage of 33 nations located around the globe, based on recent surveys conducted among representative samples of local journalists Comprehensive analyses by well-known media scholars from each country A section on comparative studies of journalists An appendix with a collection of survey questions used in various nations to question journalists As the most comprehensive and reliable source on journalists around the world, The Global Journalist will serve as the primary source for evaluating the state of journalism. As such, it promises to become a standard reference among journalism, media, and communication students and researchers around the world.

Media Perspectives for the 21st Century brings together key international scholars to explore concepts, topics and issues concerning the communication environment in contemporary democratic societies. It combines qualitative and quantitative approaches to provide an interdisciplinary and truly global perspective that reflects the trends, theories and issues in current media and communication research. The collection raises significant questions about the study of the media by challenging approaches to major media and societal issues, and analyses in more depth the range of concerns that shape both the present and the future media landscape and the issues these can create for communication. It also investigates the main effects of technological developments on the domain of the news media and journalism. Divided into two main sections, Part I provides accounts of the role of the media in society, and deals with agendas that affect the field of communications studies. Part II goes on to examine the world of new media and offers analyses on the developments of the 21st century. Chapters deal with various dimensions of media from a number of different perspectives and socio-political contexts, covering a wide range of topics including Social Networking, Political Communication, Public Journalism, Global Infotainment and Consumer Culture. Media Perspectives for the 21st Century will be highly useful to undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as researchers and academics, in the fields of media and communication studies, mass communication, journalism and new media.

This comprehensive reference covers all aspects of politics and voting—from elections and campaigns, to major political figures and parties, to the role of media and major activist groups. As America's population changes, so do its political trends. This insightful resource captures the evolution of American politics and elections in the 21st century, explaining the identities and roles of lobbyists, activists, politicians, and voters. Featuring contributions from distinguished researchers and academics in the areas of political science, social science, and journalism, this encyclopedia explores the contemporary political landscape, offering an opportunity to compare and contrast related decisions, events, and statistical information from the recent past. Informative background essays explore all aspects of voting-related politics and policy, evolving electoral trends and the issues that account for those changes, and the impact of the ever-changing composition of America's population on polling and elections. This work incorporates the results of the 2012 elections, thus providing important insights into modern voting trends and their meaning for the future of the United States.

Hailed as one of the "most significant books of the twentieth century" by Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, Mediating the Message has long been an essential text for media effects scholars and students of media sociology. This new edition of the classic media sociology textbook now offers students a comprehensive, theoretical approach to media content in the twenty-first century, with an added focus on entertainment media and the Internet.

This encyclopedia provides a real-world guide to American political journalism and news coverage in the 21st century, from the most influential media organizations and pundits to the controversies and practices shaping modern-day political journalism. Over the last 20 years, political campaigns and the media that cover them have been fundamentally altered by a mix of technology and money. This timely work surveys the legal, financial, and technological changes that have swept through the political process, putting those changes in context to help readers appreciate how they affect what the public learns—and doesn't learn—about the candidates and lawmakers at the local, state, and federal levels. The encyclopedia offers a critical examination of a broad range of topics organized in a narrative, A-to-Z format. Written by journalists and political experts, the two volumes cover the major issues, organizations, and trends affecting both politics and the coverage of political campaigns. Some 200 entries treat everything from news organizations, think tanks, and significant individuals to questions concerning money, advertising, and campaign tactics. Objective, unbiased, and comprehensive, the encyclopedia is an unequaled resource for anyone seeking to understand American political journalism and news coverage in the 21st century.