The second edition of this major text in global communication has been fully revised to bring it up to date with advances in this dynamic field. Discussing the major trends, stakeholders, and global activities involved in international communication, this book provides new insights into the worldwide factors affecting media.ยท Utilizes numerous and diverse examples of media stakeholders, including CNN, AOL/Time Warner, the BBC, movies, the internet, and the music in… More >>
Global Communication: Theories, Stakeholders, and Trends
College-level collections specializing in both business and global history will find the second edition of Thomas L. McPhail’s Global Communicatons: Theories, Stakeholders, And Trends offers important, scholarly insights on the major trends and global network of international communications. Issues affecting media are updated for all new developments since 2002: from the newfound war on terrorism and Iraq war to Arabic media. From world multimedia organization issues to NWICO debates and broadcasting and news corporation challenges, Global Communication is a must for any student of worldwide communications.
Rating: 5 / 5
I found “Global Communications” to be one of the most frustrating texts that I have read recently. The second edition looks as if it was put together in a hurry and by a poorly supervised research assistant. There are complete paragraphs which are now “orphaned” (for example, paragraph 1 on page 23) and internal inconsistencies within paragraphs (for example, on page 67 AOL has 6 million non-US subscribers and 9 million within a paragraph).
Even though the second edition was published in 2006, the data is already incorrect (although Chapter 1 was clearly written about six months later than any of the rest of the book). This datedness further diminishes the value of the book as the theoretical perspective is very flimsy. For example, “Thus, the concept of the United States of Europe (USE) is a valid concept”. I expect a US centric view in a text written by an American, but uninformed political analysis is unforgivable.
I was surprised that Blackwell would publish such a poorly edited book. For me, it is best used to demonstrate why editing is important and that close supervision of research assistants is essential if you want your book to be used a text in other institutions.
Rating: 1 / 5