Viewer Discretion Advised: Taking Control of Mass Media Influences

Viewer Discretion Advised shows where our media has gone wrong and what we can do about it. Established media critic Jeffrey McCall illustrates the problems with much of contemporary media content, why it is this way, and how consumers can actively shape the media. He sets out to increase our understanding of how different media work and how media content affects us daily, addressing a number of key media issues. McCall explains how the news agenda is shaped and why it fails to effectively inform the citizenry; how the First Amendment does and doesn't work; and how to manage children's media use. He further highlights the overwhelming influence of big media corporations in dictating cultural standards and the government's role in regulating the media. The final chapter is a helpful guide on how readers can actively challenge media companies. Stop complaining about media content--change it!

Jeffrey McCall is a media studies professor at DePauw University. He is also a contributing op-ed columnist on contemporary media issues. His columns have been published in a number of newspapers. He is a widely quoted media observer and critic, having been interviewed and quoted by over 75 newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times, Newsday, Christian Science Monitor, and others. He has also made a number of appearances on radio and television shows.