Get Me a Murder a Day!: A History of Media and Communication in Britain

'Get Me A Murder A Day!' the famous motto of Lord Northcliffe, founder of the Daily Mail, says it all. Murder, sex and scandal seem to be the mass media's staple diet in Britain. Now we have 24-hour news television, podcasts and blogs enabling constant communication and consumer comment. To understand how we got to this, we need to start from the beginning. Tracing the history of the print, broadcast and film industries, this book offers a concise and enjoyable introduction to mass communication in Britain. It outlines the main landmarks in the development of the media, the changing nature of their industrial organisation and the resulting impact on audiences. It also looks at censorship and control, the concerns of powerful elites, new managers and moral entrepreneurs. This new edition further discusses 'dumbing down', the changing content of TV and the press, the growth of 'spin' and news management, and introduces key events such as the Hutton inquiry and the Iraq war, the TV telethon fraud, the establishment of the BBC Trust and the furore over the Queen documentary. A new chapter focuses on new media technology developments social networking, citizen journalism, open access and the changing nature of media consumption, particularly among young consumers. Get Me A Murder A Day! is an essential read for media and journalism students and anyone with an interest in understanding the media landscape in the UK.