The Big Picture: Understanding Media Through Political Economy

McChesney's Rich Media, Poor Democracy was hailed as a pioneering analysis of the way in which media had come to serve the interests of corporate profit rather than public enlightenment and debate. Bill Moyers commented, "If Thomas Paine were around, he would have written this book."McChesney and Foster's new book, The Big Picture , is the sequel to that work. Where Rich Media, Poor Democracy showed the hollowness of the media's claims to serve the public interest, The Big Picture shows the real role of the media in contemporary America. At the same time, it provides a systematic account of how media studies itself can be renewed by locating media developments within the larger context of the political economy of capitalism.The Big Picture examines the nature of contemporary journalism, the role of the media system in the process of globalization, and the workings of new communication technologies, including the Internet. The book critiques the ways in which government policy on communication and media is formed in the United States, and describes the new media reform movement that is increasingly making media policy a contested issue.Certain to be a landmark in media studies, The Big Picture is a vital resource for media activism, and essential reading for concerned scholars and citizens everywhere.