It explores the way news is produced, its textual conventions, and its negotiation by the reader, listener or viewer as part of everyday life. Stuart Allan also explores topics such as the cultural dynamics of sexism and racism as they shape news coverage, as well as the rise of online news, citizen journalism, war reporting and celebrity-driven infotainment.

Building on the success of the bestselling previous editions, this new edition addresses the concerns of the news media age, featuring:

• An expanded chapter on news, power and the public sphere
• A chapter-length discussion of war journalism, tracing key factors shaping reportage from the battlefields of Vietnam to the current war in Iraq
• A chapter on citizen journalism in times of crisis, including a number of examples where ordinary individuals have performed the role of a journalist to bear witness to tragic events

This book is essential reading for students of journalism, cultural and media studies, sociology and politics.