Introduction to Mass Communication

Product Description In today’s media rich world, Introduction to Mass Communication keeps media literacy and culture at its core. Using examples of the past to show how mass communications got their roots and keeping current with the present emerging technologies and trends, Introduction to Mass Communication gives students a deeper understanding of the role media plays in both shaping and reflecting culture. By understanding and evaluating the ways in which media convergence is changing the landscape of media today, students are encouraged to think critically about their own roles in society as active media consumers. Through this cultural perspective, students learn that audience members are as much a part of the mass communication process as are the media technologies and industries. The new edition maintains its commitment to enhancing students’ critical thinking and media literacy skills. New and updated material in this edition reflects the latest developments in new digital technologies and highlights the most current research in the field.With Introduction to Mass Communication, students will have access to a suite of assessments and presentation tools to help them become successful and confident communicators in the workplace, including:-Video Capture powered by GoReact™ is the best way to give feedback on student presentations. It makes assigning and providing personalized feedback easy and it helps improve student outcomes and confidence.-SmartBook 2.0 provides a personalized and adaptive learning experience for students, while highlighting the most impactful communication concepts the learner needs to study at that time. -Application-Based Activities are highly interactive, automatically graded, learn-by-doing exercises that provide students a safe space to apply their problem-solving skills to real-world scenarios.-Writing Assignments offer faculty the ability to assign a full range of writing assignments to students (both manual-scoring and auto-scoring) with just-in-time feedback. About the Author Stanley Baran earned his Ph.D. in communication research at the University of Massachusetts after taking his M.A. in journalism at Pennsylvania State University. He taught for 4 years at Cleveland State University, eventually moving to the University of Texas. He led the Department of Radio-TV-Film’s graduate program for 6 of his 9 years in Austin and won numerous teaching awards there, including the AMOCO Teaching Excellence Award as the best instructor on that 40,000-student campus, the College of Communication’s Teaching Excellence Award as that college’s outstanding professor, and Utmost Magazine’s Student Poll for best instructor. Dr. Baran moved to San Jose State University in 1987 and served 9 years as chair of the Department of Television, Radio, Film, and Theatre. At SJSU he was named President’s Scholar as the University’s outstanding researcher. Now, he teaches at Bryant University, where he is the founding chair of that school’s Communication Department. Among his other experiences shaping this book are service as a Fulbright Scholar and his many years of professional activity in audience research, writing for radio, and producing for television. Dr. Baran has published 10 books and scores of scholarly articles and sits or has sat on the editorial boards of six journals. His work has been translated into half-a-dozen languages. He is a skilled boater and a tenor saxophonist for the Wakefield, Rhode Island, Concert Band. He is married to Susan Baran and has two very cool children, Matt and Jordan, who grew up much faster than he wanted.