The political economy deals with the structure of production and the social relations of people in production. With its focus on structures and practices, the political economy also analyzes the contradictions of capitalism and suggests resistance and intervention strategies using methods from history, economics, sociology, and political science. The dominant commercial media in capitalism operates both as a product of economic and political structure and as an industrial institution with economic and political functions. Current Theories and Practice in the Political Economy of Communications and Media is a collection of innovative research on new approaches in the political economy of communication in the process of globalization. While highlighting topics including consumer behavior, news production, and public relations, this book is ideally designed for newscasters, broadcasters, journalists, marketers, advertisers, production managers, researchers, industry professionals, academics, and students seeking to extend the border of standard political economy of communication studies into relatively undiscovered areas.

Introduction to Graphic Arts and Media Technologies provides students with an accessible and informative overview of various facets of and opportunities within the graphic arts and media technologies industry. The text provides readers with the knowledge and skillsets required to help them to succeed in their future careers, whether in graphic design, advertising design, printing technologies, web design, video and sound design, or 3D modeling and animation. The opening chapter offers students a brief history of the industry and describes a variety of jobs available to them. Additional chapters examine historical reference points that can influence and inspire today's artists, from the cave paintings of Lascaux to the art style of Walt Disney to modern web design aesthetics. Students learn how to expand their creativity, think like a designer, and apply key design elements and principles to produce effective media solutions. Dedicated chapters cover imagery in graphics, type and typography, industry workflows, and media and communication options. The closing chapter speaks to building a professional portfolio, leveraging industry resources, and tapping into future educational opportunities. Featuring vibrant, full-color images and enlightening interviews with professionals in the industry, Introduction to Graphic Arts and Media Technologies is an ideal resource for courses and programs in the visual arts.

The growing presence of digital technologies has caused significant changes in the protection of digital rights. With the ubiquity of these modern technologies, there is an increasing need for advanced media and rights protection. Media Law, Ethics, and Policy in the Digital Age is a key resource on the challenges, opportunities, issues, controversies, and contradictions of digital technologies in relation to media law and ethics and examines occurrences in different socio-political and economic realities. Highlighting multidisciplinary studies on cybercrime, invasion of privacy, and muckraking, this publication is an ideal reference source for policymakers, academicians, researchers, advanced-level students, government officials, and active media practitioners.

Marvel Studios has provided some of the biggest worldwide cinematic hits of the last eight years, from Iron Man (2008) to the record-breaking The Avengers (2012), and beyond. Having announced plans to extend its production of connected texts in cinema, network and online television until at least 2028, the new aesthetic patterns brought about by Marvel's 'shared' media universe demand analysis and understanding. The Marvel Studios Phenomenon evaluates the studio's identity, as well as its status within the structures of parent Disney. In a new set of readings of key texts such as Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., the thematics of superhero fiction and the role of fandom are considered. The authors identify milestones from Marvel's complex and controversial business history, allowing us to appraise its industrial status: from a comic publisher keen to exploit its intellectual property, to an independent producer, to successful subsidiary of a vast entertainment empire.

From literature and film to advertisements, storytelling is an important aspect of daily life. To create an impactful story, it is important to analyze the creation and generation of a storyline. Content Generation Through Narrative Communication and Simulation is a critical research publication that explores story and the application of story in various forms of media as well as the challenges of automated story. Featuring coverage on a wide range of topics such as narrative or story generation systems, the film and movie narrative generation, and narrative evaluation, this book is geared toward researchers, students, and professionals seeking current and relevant research on the influence and creation of story in media.

For many individuals, pornography is a troubling and problematic issue. Regardless of how the public views this topic, one thing is clear: Pornography is as prevalent and accessible as smartphones and laptop computers. Indeed, beyond traditional hardcore material, a pornographic sensibility can be seen permeating all aspects of culture from tween and young teen fashions to television and commercially successful films. In fact, pornography is so widespread that more often than not it is taken as a given in our modern social space. We assume all people look at or know about pornography, but to some, the thought of engaging in intellectual discussions about the topic strikes many particularly scholars as beneath them. And yet something this impactful, this definitive of modern culture, needs to be laid open to scrutiny. In The Philosophy of Pornography: Contemporary Perspectives, Lindsay Coleman and Jacob M. Held offer a collection of essays covering a wide range of viewpoints from issues of free speech and porn s role in discrimination to the impact of porn on sexuality. These essays investigate the philosophical implications of pornography as a part of how we now seek to conceive and express our sexuality in contemporary life. Contributors to this volume discuss: .pornography as a component of gender and sexual socialization .ecological understandings of sexually explicit media .subordination, sexualization, and speech .feminism and pornography .pornography s depiction of love and friendship .black women and pornography .playfulness, creativity, and porn s possibilities Because its subject matter sex, gender, interpersonal relationships, and even love is reflective of who we are and what kind of society we want to create, pornography demands serious treatment. So whether one chooses to accept pornography as a fact of modern culture or not, this collection of timely essays represents a variety of voices in the ongoing debate. As such, The Philosophy of Pornography will be of interest to not only those who are engaged in porn studies but also to an audience educated in and conversant with recent trends in philosophy."

Entertainment Operations: Project Management and Platforms in Media-Based Entertainment helps students learn how to apply management theories to media-oriented industries, including film, music, and video games, among others. The book is divided into three units. Unit I provides students with a brief history of projects in media-based entertainment and presents key principles of project management. The readings in Unit II help students understand the business and economic impact of entertainment, as well as the operations and transformational processes that create value and competitive advantage within the industry. In Unit III, students learn how to apply relevant management theories to time-sensitive, fast-paced, rapid multi-product release businesses. Entertainment Operations is an enlightening and contemporary resource for courses in entertainment operations and management.

An absorbing, original, and ambitious work of reportage from the acclaimed New Yorker correspondent

During the past decade, Peter Hessler has persistently illuminated worlds both foreign and familiar--ranging from China, where he served as The New Yorker's correspondent from 2000 to 2007, to southwestern Colorado, where he lived for four years. Strange Stones is an engaging, thought-provoking collection of Hessler's best pieces, showcasing his range as a storyteller and his gift for writing as both native and knowledgeable outsider. From a taste test between two rat restaurants in South China to a profile of Yao Ming to the moving story of a small-town pharmacist, these pieces are bound by subtle but meaningful ideas: the strength of local traditions, the surprising overlap between cultures, and the powerful lessons drawn from individuals who straddle different worlds.

Full of unforgettable figures and an unrelenting spirit of adventure, Strange Stones is a dazzling display of the powerful storytelling, shrewd cultural insight, and warm sense of humor that are the trademarks of Peter Hessler's work.