Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime
and start saving today with fast, free delivery
Amazon Prime includes:
Fast, FREE Delivery is available to Prime members. To join, select "Try Amazon Prime and start saving today with Fast, FREE Delivery" below the Add to Cart button.
Amazon Prime members enjoy:- Cardmembers earn 5% Back at Amazon.com with a Prime Credit Card.
- Unlimited Free Two-Day Delivery
- Streaming of thousands of movies and TV shows with limited ads on Prime Video.
- A Kindle book to borrow for free each month - with no due dates
- Listen to over 2 million songs and hundreds of playlists
- Unlimited photo storage with anywhere access
Important: Your credit card will NOT be charged when you start your free trial or if you cancel during the trial period. If you're happy with Amazon Prime, do nothing. At the end of the free trial, your membership will automatically upgrade to a monthly membership.
$26.61$26.61
Ships from: Amazon.com Sold by: Amazon.com
$6.90$6.90
FREE delivery May 20 - 21
Ships from: ThriftBooks-Atlanta Sold by: ThriftBooks-Atlanta
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
OK
Media Mythmakers: How Journalists, Activists, and Advertisers Mislead Us Hardcover – July 1, 2003
Purchase options and add-ons
- Print length332 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherPrometheus
- Publication dateJuly 1, 2003
- Dimensions6.31 x 0.94 x 8.91 inches
- ISBN-101591020727
- ISBN-13978-1591020721
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.
Editorial Reviews
Review
—The Futurist
“This book should be required reading for all who are caught up in the thrall of US mass media; all who think they are being manipulated, misled, and lied to but are not quite sure how an why this is happening…Written in an appealing style devoid of academic jargon and pontification, this book peels away the myths that mislead and provides the facts. It should be on every library shelf. Essential.”
—Choice, a 2005 Outstanding Academic Title
From the Inside Flap
Those who are supposed to help us understand the world and the problems we face frequently fail us. Journalists and the news media offer entertainment and sensationalism instead of significant information. Politicians and lawmakers who guide the country are little better; instead of real solutions, we are offereed merely the illusion of progress.
This hard-hitting critique of our media culture examines not only the ways in which we are deceived, but the media's role in propagating these deceptions. But MEDIA MYTHMAKERS goes beyond criticism to give concrete examples of the damage caused by manipulation of the news. From missing children to the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, from efforts to end slavery in other countries to AIDS education, myths and deception in the media threaten us all. While the public is being misled, real problems go unaddressed and resources are wasted on misguided ideas.
In an increasingly complex world, where accurate and unbiased information is more important than ever, MEDIA MYTHMAKERS provides a timely and much-needed analysis.
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Prometheus (July 1, 2003)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 332 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1591020727
- ISBN-13 : 978-1591020721
- Item Weight : 1.35 pounds
- Dimensions : 6.31 x 0.94 x 8.91 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #5,069,123 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #18,938 in Communication & Media Studies
- #24,239 in Medical General Psychology
- #111,985 in Psychology & Counseling
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors
Benjamin Radford is managing editor of "Skeptical Inquirer" science magazine and a Research Fellow with the non-profit educational organization the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. He has written hundreds of articles on a wide variety of topics, including urban legends, the paranormal, critical thinking, and science literacy.
He is author of five books: "Hoaxes, Myths, and Manias: Why We Need Critical Thinking" (with Bob Bartholomew); "Media Mythmakers: How Journalists, Activists, and Advertisers Mislead Us"; "Lake Monster Mysteries: Investigating the World’s Most Elusive Creatures" (with Joe Nickell); "Scientific Paranormal Investigation: How to Solve Unexplained Mysteries"; and "Tracking the Vampire: Chupacabra in Fact, Fiction, and Folklore" (out in 2011 from the University of New Mexico Press).
Radford is a regular columnist for LiveScience.com, Discovery News, and Skeptical Inquirer magazine. Radford created Playing Gods: The Board Game of Divine Domination, the world’s first satirical board game of religious warfare. He is also a filmmaker, and released two short films: Clicker Clatter (2007), and Sirens (2009).
Radford is one of the world’s few science-based paranormal investigators, and has done first-hand research into mysterious phenomena including psychics, ghosts and haunted houses; exorcisms, miracles, Bigfoot, stigmata, lake monsters, UFO sightings, reincarnation, and crop circles, and many other topics. He is perhaps best known for solving the mysteries of the Santa Fe Courthouse Ghost in 2007, and the Hispanic vampire el chupacabra in 2010.
Radford has appeared on the Discovery Channel, the History Channel, the National Geographic Channel, the Learning Channel, CBC, CBS, BBC, CNN, and other networks with three letters. He also served as a consultant for the MTV series The Big Urban Myth Show and an episode of the CBS crime drama CSI. Radford has appeared in publications including the Wall Street Journal, Wired, The New York Times, Vanity Fair, and Ladies’ Home Journal.
I’m deputy editor of Skeptical Inquirer science magazine and a Research Fellow with the non-profit educational organization the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. I’ve written over a thousand articles on a wide variety of topics, including urban legends, the paranormal, critical thinking, and media literacy. I am also author or co-author of eight books: "Hoaxes, Myths, and Manias: Why We Need Critical Thinking" (with sociologist Robert E. Bartholomew); "Media Mythmakers: How Journalists, Activists, and Advertisers Mislead Us," examining the ways in which deception is used in various media to influence decision making and public policy; "Lake Monster Mysteries: Investigating the World’s Most Elusive Creatures" (with Joe Nickell), a scientific examination of lake monsters around the world; "Scientific Paranormal Investigation: How to Solve Unexplained Mysteries" (which is pretty self-explanatory); "Tracking the Chupacabra: The Vampire Beast in Fact, Fiction, and Folklore"; "The Martians Have Landed! A History of Media-Driven Panics and Hoaxes" (with Bob Bartholomew); and my latest book, "Mysterious New Mexico: Miracles, Magic, and Monsters in the Land of Enchantment," a collection of 13 case study investigations I’ve conducted in my home state. In addition I've published one novel, "The Merchant of Dust." My next book, titled "Bad Clowns," will be published in Spring 2016 by the University of New Mexico Press. In all I have written, co-written, edited, or contributed to about 20 books.
I’m a regular columnist for Discovery News, Skeptical Inquirer magazine, and the Skeptical Briefs newsletter. I’m also a founder and former co-host of the award-winning MonsterTalk podcast.
I’m one of the world’s few science-based paranormal investigators, and has done first-hand research into mysterious phenomena including psychics, ghosts and haunted houses; exorcisms, miracles, Bigfoot, stigmata, lake monsters, UFO sightings, reincarnation, and crop circles, and many other topics. I’m perhaps best known for solving the mysteries of the Santa Fe Courthouse Ghost in 2007, and the Hispanic vampire el chupacabra in 2010.
I have a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a masters degree in education, and I’m a member of the American Folklore Society and have spoken at their conferences. I regularly speak at universities, colleges, and conferences across the country about my investigations, and have appeared on the Discovery Channel, the History Channel, the National Geographic Channel, the Learning Channel, CBC, BBC, CNN, and other networks with three letters. I also served as a consultant for the MTV series "The Big Urban Myth Show" and an episode of the CBS crime drama "CSI." I’ve appeared in many publications including the Wall Street Journal, Wired, The New York Times, Vanity Fair, and Ladies’ Home Journal, and quoted by Parade columnist (and world’s smartest person) Marilyn vos Savant, Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters, biologist Richard Dawkins, and others.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon-
Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Oh my gosh; what an important all-encompassing view of the media and politics and how both do their best to influence our every decision! The book is, I don't know, 15 years old? and many of the examples and specifics are outdated, but overall, it's still totally relevant! It has prompted me to pay more attention to the sources and overall messages of common beliefs and to try to consider real and long-term effects of "remedies". Crime is still decreasing, and I need to look into the current statistics on school shootings and rape culture and drunk driving etc. It's all very well and fine to say "that's all horrible", but what exactly is it that's horrible? It would seem that the media's and politicians' goal is to simplify everything as much as possible and inform us as little as possible! There is generally more to the issue (whatever the issue is) than is being told!
I would enjoy an update to reflect how social media has further affected news reporting in the last decade. Anyone who is serious about journalism, activism, and weeding through misleading tactics from advertisers should read this book. In addition, consumers as a whole have and will continue to benefit from the information presented.
As always, I enjoyed Ben Radford's writing style and meticulous detail. A five star book for sure!
Should be required reading for everyone -- arms you with the weapons you need to defend yourself from the daily onslought of error, half-truth, and ratings-pandering fake news.
There are hundreds of examples in this well-researched book of how the media distorts facts and displays its bias (not liberal or conservative, per se, but a coporate bias that panders to viewers who want spectacle, not facts).
Not since Neil Postman has there been a media critic who is so on the side of the critical thinker and so incisive in his critiques of the power of the media.
Highly recommended.
While Ben writes about the problems in the journalism and advertising trades, there is also the suggestion that the integrity and objectivity we desrve from the media at large will only be offered if we demand it.
Robert E. Bartholomew, Ph.D.
The first step in answering these questions is determining what information is well presented. Radford succeeds in detailing the mainstream media's exploitation of emotion. He explains common logical fallacies committed by martyrmakers. With that, examples of groups profiting from tragic events illustrate some of the most deplorable aspects of the media and ordinary people working together to manipulate public opinion. This book is one of the few instances where anyone pins responsibility for declining media quality on the American populace. Another concept Radford examines with particular care is bias, be it the inherently subjective nature of journalism or his own bias in writing the book. He also discusses the value of critical thinking in a variety of situations from causes du jour to the effect of media-induced hype on the legislative process. At its best, Mythmakers dissects the consequences of emotion-clouded judgment and its effects on people being accurately informed of the most complex issues of the day.
While the book provides useful information, the organization of data and analysis feels frenetic, as information gets lost in ill-formed transitions. Radford's examples jump around, and he relies heavily on three news stories for examples of substandard journalism practices: Princess Diana's death, the Columbine shootings, and 9/11. This repetition in the book becomes tiring; perhaps Radford should have treated them as case studies so errors in media could be noted in one or two chapters instead of several. Likewise, the chapters on advertising are incongruent in tone and content when compared to the rest of the book. While reading later chapters, I wondered if advertising would be further addressed. Given its brief appearance in the beginning, the information on advertising may be better examined as part of other media manipulation tactics. The book's overall format also feels cluttered. While part of it stems from the numerous sources cited, the layout is more akin to a string of extended essays combined into a hardcover book with no thoughtful transitions between them. Dedicating individual chapters to the most prominent cases of media misbehavior would have facilitated more thorough and easy to follow discussion of the exact tactics used to sway public opinion and information.
Media Mythmakers also falters in properly identifying its audience. The language used shifts between formal and colloquial. This bipolarity suggests Radford attempted to write this book to appeal to two very different groups: the intellectually ambitious and mainstream media consumers. Finding a middle ground for these groups is difficult at best, and such fluctuation in diction is not a constructive way to achieve that goal. The intellectually ambitious crowd of this decade, meanwhile, will regard much of the information presented as old news. The statistics for white collar crime are a prime example of such information; this information is now taught in introductory social science courses at various higher education institutions. If this book is intended for the more cerebral audience, expanded discussion on the less obvious topics (e.g. activist manipulation of the media and the humanitarian aid paradox) would be a more sensible approach. Meanwhile, a more mainstream audience may need to be alerted of the white collar crime statistics. No matter the audience, new information needs to be presented to reflect the changes in the media environment since 2003. The audience and its various subsections have changed significantly since that time.
Radford's book provides some useful information regarding the state of contemporary media. Finding that information is a test of reading skill and perseverance. Valuable information hides in redundancy and outdated statistics. Media Mythmakers covers a subject that deserves more careful examination than what is currently given. Radford should consider rewriting this book for the new decade, which has not only a new crop of stories bungled by the media but also a transformed audience.