Portable phones are now miniature multi-media centers that can fit neatly in one's pocket, and media industries of all types are adapting content for these new platforms, or innovating entirely new forms. In the light of this explosive growth, this diverse collection of essays establishes conceptual, critical frameworks for evaluating the latest transformations of the media landscape. Some essays provide historical context, exploring older phenomena such as the CB radio, automobile radio, and hand-held video games, while others unpack the behind-the-scenes negotiations that determine what kinds of services are available to consumers of the latest technology. The Mobile Media Reader is a comprehensive road map, enabling both scholars and students to examine the social, cultural, and commercial implications of media that are available anywhere at any time.

Portable phones are now miniature multi-media centers that can fit neatly in one's pocket, and media industries of all types are adapting content for these new platforms, or innovating entirely new forms. In the light of this explosive growth, this diverse collection of essays establishes conceptual, critical frameworks for evaluating the latest transformations of the media landscape. Some essays provide historical context, exploring older phenomena such as the CB radio, automobile radio, and hand-held video games, while others unpack the behind-the-scenes negotiations that determine what kinds of services are available to consumers of the latest technology. The Mobile Media Reader is a comprehensive road map, enabling both scholars and students to examine the social, cultural, and commercial implications of media that are available anywhere at any time.

How does one make sense of YouTube? There is no reliable sample of videos on YouTube; no easily identifiable way to determine its dominant themes; no way to evaluate quality or impact; no seminal literature. Through genre analysis and digital media criticism, this book presents an accessible, yet critical introduction to "reading" YouTube. The book identifies certain videos by genre - from The Phenom and The Short to The Morph and The Experiment - and provides a thumbnail textual analysis of the videos - from celebrity culture to identity politics - that make up each of these genres. Each one starts with a brief summary/background followed by a theoretically informed mapping of the key issues. Designed primarily for classroom use, the book develops a conceptual language for students to use as they engage with the complex, interactive texts of YouTube and digital culture more generally.