Conglomerates and the Media

by Erik Barnouw

Book Overview

What are the effects of increasing conglomerate ownership on the creation and dissemination of news and culture? These nine essays by leading media insiders and critics take probing, critical looks at the dramatic changes of recent years.

Opening with a fascinating overview of radio and television history by Erik Barnouw, the "dean of American media critics," the first part of the book features longtime media insiders such as Richard M...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1565844726
• ISBN13: 9781565844728
• Release Date: September 1998
• Publisher: New Press
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Essays providing insight into a growing area of concern.

It is difficult to read Conglomerates and not be alarmed at the growing media control by a few major companies. The book begins with an insightful introduction by noted scholar Todd Gitlin and includes essays from Mark Crispin Miller (Johns Hopkins scholar and author of Boxed In) and David Leiberman (USA Today), among other prominent writers. One discrepency occurs with Lieberman's piece: it is listed in the table of contents as "Conglomerates, News, and Children", but in the chapter it is referred to as "Conglomerates, News, and the Media," leaving the reader to decide the correct version. This book is a must have if you want to gain an understanding of what's happening with media monopolies; Bagdikian fans rejoice! However, it is not chalk full o' references, so students looking for cites to follow may be disappointed. In the introduction, Gitlin echos an earlier statement by Niel Postman (author of Amusing Ourselves to Death): "Big Brother isn't looming, Brave New World is."