Media Matters

"Republishing Media Matters could not be more timely, given the ways that the events and trends Fiske discusses here are actively shaping our present moment: from the emergence of a whole new set of "media events" and police violence directed against our ever more multicultural society (Ferguson, #Blacklivesmatter) to the recurring role the Clintons and Joe Bidden play in contemporary politics to the emergence of yet another celebrated black celebrity (Bill Cosby) now accused of unspeakable acts. Add to this Fiske's attention to what politics looks like in an era of proliferating communication platforms and the emergence of grassroots forms of media power. Media Matters is the book of John Fiske's which I reach for most often and am never disappointed. Of Fiske's books, Media Matters is the one most informed by the particularities of his historical moment but also the most prescient in anticipating the world we now inhabit. Black Hawk Hancock's introduction to this new edition places the work in its theoretical and historical context, explaining why the underlying argument still speaks to contemporary readers, and provides us tools for how we, too, can do cultural analysis as would-be public intellectuals."

Henry Jenkins, Provost Professor of Communication, Journalism, Cinematic Arts and Education, University of Southern California

"Media Matters is not only a timeless perspective on media culture, but its re-release is made even better by the perspectives of Fiske disciple sociologist Black Hawk Hancock. The lessons shared by the book still ring true, a point that is both unfortunate as a reflection of our current times, yet fortunate for those seeking an in-depth look at media as text."

Darrell M. Newton, Associate Dean and Professor, The Fulton School of Liberal Arts, Salisbury University