Constructing Public Opinion

Is polling a process that brings "science" into the study of society? Or are polls crude instruments that tell us little about the way people actually think? The role of public opinion polls in government and mass media has gained increasing importance with each new election or poll taken. Here Lewis presents a new look at an old tradition, the first study of opinion polls using an interdisciplinary approach combining cultural studies, sociology, political science, and mass communication. Rather than dismissing polls, he considers them to be a significant form of representation in contemporary culture; he explores how the media report on polls and, in turn, how publicized results influence the way people respond to polls. Lewis argues that the media tend to exclude the more progressive side of popular opinion from public debate. While the media's influence is limited, it works strategically to maintain the power of pro-corporate political elites.

Humor & Entertainment

Lewis, Justin

Movies

Columbia University Press

Is polling a process that brings "science" into the study of society? Or are polls crude instruments that tell us little about the way people actually think? The role of public opinion polls in government and mass media has gained increasing importance with each new election or poll taken. Here Lewis presents a new look at an old tradition, the first study of opinion polls using an interdisciplinary approach combining cultural studies, sociology, political science, and mass communication. Rather than dismissing polls, he considers them to be a significant form of representation in contemporary culture; he explores how the media report on polls and, in turn, how publicized results influence the way people respond to polls. Lewis argues that the media tend to exclude the more progressive side of popular opinion from public debate. While the media's influence is limited, it works strategically to maintain the power of pro-corporate political elites.

Constructing Public Opinion: How Political Elites Do What They Like and Why We Seem to Go Along with It

Politics & Social Sciences

Social Sciences

"In this superb account of how the British and American news media represent everyday citizens and public opinion, the authors show how coverage of politics and policy debates subtly - even inadvertently - urge people to see themselves as and thus to be politically passive, disengaged and cynical. The book's analysis of how journalists misrepresent, even invent, public opinion is alone worth the price of admission. Written with great verve, passion and unswerving clarity, Citizens or Consumers? promises to become an instant classic in the study of the failings--and the still untapped promise--of the news media to further democracy." Susan J. Douglas, Catherine Neafie Kellogg Professor and Chair, Department of Communication Studies, The University of Michigan
 "Based on an exhaustive cross-Atlantic empirical study, Citizens or Consumers? is an engaging and incisive contribution to a subject usually restricted to clichés and vague generalizations. Looking not only at how media impact upon their audiences, but the manner in which that influence is mediated by the way in which citizenship itself is represented in news stories, Lewis et. al. offer us unusual and keen insight into a familiar world. Written in an engaging and lively style, first year students and experienced faculty members (as well as general readers) will benefit from its many perceptive insights. Especially useful are the last few pages which suggest how journalists might alter their representation practices to invoke citizenship rather than passive consumerism." Sut Jhally Professor of Communication, University of Massachusetts at Amherst Founder &amp; Executive Director, Media Education Foundation 
 "The two great duelists for our attention - citizens and consumers - are locked in a struggle for the future of democracy. Citizens or Consumers? offers its readers a sharp lesson in how the media highlight and distort that struggle. It's the kind of lesson we all need." Toby Miller, author of Cultural Citizenship. 
 In recent years there has been much concern about the general decline in civic participation in both Britain and the United States - especially among young people. At the same time we have seen declining budgets for serious domestic and international news and current affairs amidst widespread accusations of a “dumbing down” in the coverage of public affairs. This book enters the debate by asking whether the news media have played a role in producing a passive citizenry. And, if so, what might be done about it? 
 Based on the largest study of the media coverage of public opinion and citizenship in Britain and the United States, this book argues that while most of us learn about politics and public affairs from the news media, we rarely see or read about examples of an active, engaged citizenry. 
 Key reading for students in media and cultural studies, politics and journalism studies.

Citizens or Consumers?

Wahl-Jorgensen, Karin

Inthorn, Sanna

Open University Press

Art, Culture and Enterprise: The Politics of Art and the Cultural Industries

In recent years, the arts world has sought to defend its corner in terms that tend to be untenable, while free marketeers have argued with increasing confidence that support for art and culture is best left to the market place. Justin Lewis suggests that the questions we should address is rather different: what of cultural value is the free market unable to provide? In so doing he confronts the issue of cultural and artistic values head on, and attempts to rescue cultural values from definitions that are elitist, unjust, and increasingly irrelevant. His assessment includes popular commercial art forms as well as more fine arts and also appraises the community arts and cultural industries approaches to arts funding. He draws examples from specific venues all over Britain, showing how innovative projects work in practice.

Routledge

Television Studies: The Key Concepts is the definitive reference guide to an area of rapidly expanding academic interest. Among those aspects of television studies covered in this comprehensive and up-to-date guide are:  theoretical perspectives which have shaped the study of television - Marxism; semiology; feminism concepts which have shaped the study of television - narrative; representation; bias television genres - soap opera; news; science fiction methods used for understanding television - content analysis; audience research relevant social, economic and political phenomena - ownership; social policy.

Television Studies: The Key Concepts (Routledge Key Guides)

Calvert, Ben

Casey, Neil

Casey, Bernadette

French, Liam

Radio

Television Studies: The Key Concepts is the definitive reference guide to an area of rapidly expanding academic interest. Among those aspects of television studies covered in this comprehensive and up-to-date guide are: 
<ul>
<li>theoretical perspectives which have shaped the study of television - Marxism; semiology; feminism</li> <li>concepts which have shaped the study of television - narrative; representation; bias</li> <li>television genres - soap opera; news; science fiction</li> <li>methods used for understanding television - content analysis; audience research</li> <li>relevant social, economic and political phenomena - ownership; social policy.</li>
</ul>

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Lewis, Justin. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Lewis, Justin

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Lewis, Justin. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Constructing Public Opinion

Constructing Public Opinion

Constructing Public Opinion: How Political Elites Do What They Like and Why We Seem to Go Along with It

Citizens or Consumers?

Citizens or Consumers?

Art, Culture and Enterprise: The Politics of Art and the Cultural Industries

Art, Culture and Enterprise: The Politics of Art and the Cultural Industries

Television Studies: The Key Concepts (Routledge Key Guides)

Television Studies: The Key Concepts (Routledge Key Guides)

Television Studies: The Key Concepts (Routledge Key Guides)