Journalism entered the twenty-first century caught in a paradox. The world had more journalism, across a wider range of media, than at any time since the birth of the western free press in the eighteenth century. Western journalists had found themselves under a cloud of suspicion: from politicians, philosophers, the general public, anti-globalization radicals, religious groups, and even from fellow journalists. Critics argued that the news industry had lost its moral bearings, focusing on high investment returns rather than reporting and analyzing the political, economic, and social issues of the day.

In the new edition of this thought-provoking and provocative Very Short Introduction, Ian Hargreaves examines the world of contemporary journalism. He considers how technology has impacted the way major international events are reported, examines the development of online entertainment journalism, and chronicles the impact of the international financial crisis on the industry. By looking not only at what journalism has been in the past, but also what it is becoming in the digital age, major issues related to reportage, warfare, celebrity culture, privacy, and technology worldwide are closely examined.

ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Ian Hargreaves has been Professor of Digital Economy at the University of Cardiff since 2010. From 2006-2008 he was Senior Partner at Ofcom and between 2008-2010 he was Director of Strategic Communications for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He is heavily involved in the global debates surrounding intellectual property and copyright.