Author Description

Digital media is changing the ways in which we communicate: we watch TV and movies online, call friends on computers, and read newspapers on cell phones. Converging Media: A New Introduction to Mass Communication, Second Edition, by John V. Pavlik and Shawn McIntosh, uses the technologies we employ every day to explain our current media environment--and to project where we might be headed.Rather than discussing each media industry in isolation, Converging Media shows how each branch of media (print, visual, and audio) relates to and influences the others. This enables students to see the inextricable and dynamic relationship between converging media and traditional media formats.The fully revised and updated second edition:* Opens with a discussion of digital media, giving students an immediate frame of reference as they learn about the historical development of mass communication* Offers an entire chapter on newly emerging, cutting-edge media (Social Media and Web 2.0)* Integrates ethics concerns and global perspectives throughout:- Convergence Culture boxes cover the ways in which media impacts our social, political, and popular cultures- Convergence Context boxes place hard-to-understand concepts and technologies within familiar, relevant contexts- International Perspectives boxes showcase the similarities--and differences--of media and technology throughout the world* Incorporates highly engaging pedagogy:- Opening vignettes contain interesting stories and timely photos that relate chapter content to the overarching theme of media convergence- Media Quizzes provide students with lighthearted--yet thought-provoking--self-testsConclusions, Discussion Questions, and up-to-date Further Reading lists round off every chapter* Features a comprehensive support package:- For students: Online study guide and Companion Website (www.oup.com/us/pavlik)- For instructors: PowerPoint-based lecture slides, Instructor's Manual with printed Test Bank, and Computerized Test Bank