Media Scandals

Product Description Are scandals a form of legitimate journalism, or are they a sign of a society in moral degeneration? These questions are addressed and assessed in Media Scandals, the first book to take a comprehensive look at how scandals are produced and played out in modern culture. Review Lull and Hinerman have brought together wide-ranging studies on scandal. Their opening essay sets the ecological and typological parameters of scandals and upholds the proposition that media scandal is crucial for moral thinking and decision making. . . . J. B. Thompson theorizes about the social impact of scandals when they exist only as a media event. H. Gray examines media scandal as an overarching event revealing how in the U.S. the majority white race can make blackness a measure of scandal. L. Grindstaff goes behind the scenes of the afternoon TV talk shows. . . S.E. Bird looks at how the audience shapes and uses scandal to understand and reiterate accepted values,and how scandals drive out other information. J. Tomlinson finds the globalization of media does not change the nature or response to scandals. . . . The other essays examine specific scandals surrounding the presidency, sports, religion, pop music, and celebrities. All the authors find, with some important deviations, that scandals serve a community purpose, help uphold the status quo and majority morality, and at the same time promote the wealth and influence of the media powers. -- ChoiceLull and Hinerman have brought together wide-ranging studies on scandal. Their opening essay sets the ecological and typological parameters of scandals and upholds the proposition that media scandal is crucial for moral thinking and decision making. . . . J. B. Thompson theorizes about the social impact of scandals when they exist only as a media event. H. Gray examines media scandal as an overarching event revealing how in the U.S. the majority white race can make blackness a measure of scandal. L. Grindstaff goes behind the scenes of the afternoon TV talk shows. . . S.E. Bird looks at how the audience shapes and uses scandal to understand and reiterate accepted valuesand how scandals drive out other information. J. Tomlinson finds the globalization of media does not change the nature or response to scandals. . . . The other essays examine specific scandals surrounding the presidency, sports, religion, pop music, and celebrities. All the authors find, with some important deviations, that scandals serve a community purpose, help uphold the status quo and majority morality, and at the same time promote the wealth and influence of the media powers. -- Choice About the Author JAMES LULL is professor of communication studies at San Jose State University. STEPHEN HINERMAN is lecturer in communication studies at San Jose State University.