Media Literacy

W. James Potter, professor at the University of California at Santa Barbara, holds one PhD in Communication Studies and another in Instructional Technology. He has been teaching media courses for more than two decades in the areas of effects on individuals and society, content narratives, structure and economics of media industries, advertising, and journalism. He has served as editor of the Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media and is the author of many journal articles and several dozen books, including: Media Effects; Media Literacy, 10th edition; The 11 Myths of Media Violence; Major Theories of Media Effects; Becoming a Strategic Thinker: Developing Skills for Success; and 7 Skills of Media Literacy.  

Part I: Introduction
Chapter 1: Why Increase Media Literacy?
The Information Problem
Dealing with the Information Problem
The Big Question
Chapter 2: Media Literacy Approaches
What is Media Literacy?
The Three Building Blocks of Media Literacy
The Definition of Media Literacy
The Development of Media Literacy
Advantages of Developing a Higher Degree of Media Literacy
Part II: Audiences
Chapter 3: Audience: Individual Perspective
Functioning within the Flood of Information
Information Processing Tasks
Analyzing the Idea of Exposure to Media Messages
The Media Literacy Approach
Chapter 4: Audience: Industry Perspective
Shift from Mass to Niche Perspective on Audience
Identifying Niches
Attracting Audiences
Conditioning Audiences
Chapter 5: Children as a Special Audience
Why Treat Children as a Special Audience?
Special Treatment from Regulators
Special Treatment from Parents
Re-Examining the Case for Special Treatment
Young Adults as a Special Audience
Part III: Industries
Chapter 6: Development of the Mass Media Industries
Patterns of Development
Comparisons Across Mass Media
Current Picture
Chapter 7: Economic Perspective
The Media Game of Economics
Characteristics of the Game
Media Industries’ Strategies
Consumers’ Strategies
Part IV: Content
Chapter 8: Media Content and Reality
Role of Reality in Media Content Formulas
Reality Programming as a Genre
The Importance of Media Literacy
Chapter 9: News
Dynamic Nature of News
Different Perspectives on News
Who Qualifies as a Journalist?
How Can We Make Judgments about Quality of News?
How Can We Become More Media Literate with News?
Chapter 10: Entertainment
Story Formulas
Patterns
Becoming Media Literate With Entertainment Messages
Chapter 11: Advertising
Advertising Is Pervasive
Process of Constructing Advertising Messages
Becoming More Media Literate with Advertising
Chapter 12: Interactive Media
Competitive Experiences
Cooperative Experiences
Media Literacy on Interactive Platforms
Part V: Effects
Chapter 13: Broadening Our Perspective on Media Effects
Timing of Effects
Valence of Effects
Intentionality of Effects
Type of Effects
Chapter 14: How Does the Effects Process Work?
Media Effects Are Constantly Occurring
Factors Influencing Media Effects
Thinking about Blame
Becoming More Media Literate
Part VI: The Springboard
Chapter 15: Helping Yourself and Others to Increase Media Literacy
Helping Yourself
Helping Others
Part VII: Confronting the Issues
Issue 1: Ownership of Media
Delineating the Issue
Evidence of Concentration
Evidence for Harm
Your Own Informed Opinion
Issue 2: Piracy
Delineating the Issue
Evidence of Piracy
Addressing the Problem
Your Own Informed Opinion
Issue 3: Sports
Delineating the Issue
The Money Cycle
Olympics
Your Own Informed Opinion
Issue 4: Media Violence
Delineating the Issue
Public’s Faulty Perceptions
Producers’ Faulty Beliefs
Media Violence and Media Literacy
Issue 5: Advertising
Delineating the Issue
Faulty Criticisms
Criticisms Based on Personal Values
Criticisms about Responsibility
Issue 6: Privacy
Delineating the Issue
Criminal Threats to Your Privacy
Non-Criminal Threats to Your Privacy
Public Opinion and Regulations
Your Informed Opinion