Review
This could potentially substitute the book I currently use and may allow me to choose different supplemental texts. I like that the authors recognize that professors at research universities tend to use more than one text in class. I like the contemporary approach though I will probably need to supplement with a lot of historical materials. I especially like the keywords in the last chapter and wish more attention would be give to this throughout, since that's a big part of my course. As authors, these two are also top notch at giving clear examples and writing in a straightforward way. Finally, I like to bring in the "newest" trends in class, which most media books ignore. I really have not found a book that can do that, though, if anyone can bring in the "new" thing, I believe Lotz and Havens have their fingers on the pulse of the industry. Vicki Mayer, Tulane University My overall reaction to the project is quite favorable. As noted above, finding appropriate and cohesive materials for the course is often frustrating and labor intensive, resulting in a bricolage of materials that I have to update practically every semester. This requires a lot of work on my part, not just in assembling the materials but also in supplementing them with a coherent through line in lecture and discussion since none of the course readings do this adequately. The Lotz and Havens project seems to offer solutions to many of the problems of existing materials and, as the authors mention in their introduction, it fills a significant gap in the field. The project appears to be comprehensive in its overview of the media industries without oversimplifying the issues. If I adopted this book in my class it would function as an overview text supplemented by a course reader comprised of articles on particular industries (film, TV, music, etc.) that emphasize their historical development. My reaction is one of great anticipation and excitement- there is such a need for a text like this one and this proposal addresses the many issues comprising media studies and also fills serious gaps in the current literature. I also feel as it is proposed, it looks like the authors will be giving the subject very thoughtful and thorough analysis that will be accessible to undergraduates. Its main strengths are the comprehensive manner in which it addresses this field of study, the organizational structure (which I think is very effective), and the ways in which it uses television examples as illustrations. Jennifer Holt, UC Santa Barbara I find the authors' approach ingenious. From the samples I was shown, I thought they covered the television industry shrewdly. I would like to know a bit more how they approach the current chaotic state of newspapers and other media forms. I would recommend publication and might well assign this book in the future. Tom Goldstein, UC Berkeley My reaction to the Lotz and Havens project is a positive one. I think there is a market for this book and the concepts covered appear to be the right ones. The authors seem to be offering a text that will cover a range of media industries material while simultaneously having a clear focus. However, the strength of this book is also its weakness. The text focuses on the production side of media interactions to such a degree that it would not be a good fit for the course I teach. This is not to say that the book does not have a clear market. The authors indicate in the text that they are intentionally giving the book this kind of direction. Let me be clear here. I think this is a useful text, but it is not one that lends itself to the way I teach media criticism. The authors should NOT attempt to be all things to all media critics. Making adjustments that will make it more likely I will adopt this text could end up doing more harm than good. The authors have a solid product.
From the Publisher
Amanda Lotz, University of Michigan; Timothy Havens, University of Iowa
About the Author
Amanda Lotz, University of Michigan; Timothy Havens, University of Iowa
