Communication revolution : critical junctures and the future of media / Robert W. McChesney.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [223]-285) and index.

Also issued online.

1 Crisis in Communication, Crisis for Society 3 -- 2 The Rise and Fall of the Political Economy of Communication 37 -- 3 The Historical Turn, Critical Junctures, and "Five Truths" 99 -- 4 Moment of Truth 153.

Media scholar McChesney debunks the conventional wisdom that the current communication revolution the growth of the Internet and wireless technology is beyond the control of average citizens. The nation is at a critical juncture when growing corporate public relations and the commercial stranglehold on journalism threaten press freedom we have taken for granted for generations, McChesney warns. Unless citizens become more involved in determining policies for the public subsidies awarded to broadcast media, large corporations and politicians will decide what the future of communication looks like. He examines the historical, economic, and political forces at play in the marketplace that seek to concentrate media control. He points to successful campaigns by citizens' groups to influence media ownership rules and to halt efforts by large telephone and cable companies to privatize the Internet. Aimed at journalism scholars and the general public, this is an ardent plea to do something about troubling trends.--Bush, Vanessa Copyright 2007 Booklist