Introduction to Mass Communication: Media Literacy and Culture
Chapter 3: Books
A Short History of Books (Colonies)
1638: First printing press arrived in Colonial North America.
1644: First book printed in the colonies titled "The Whole Booke of Psalms".
1765: Printers revolt due to the Stamp Act, which was intended to control expression in the colonies.
A Short History of Books (Anti-British)
By mid-1770s, anti-British sentiment surged.
Pamphlets played a significant role in motivating and uniting political dissent.
Post-War of Independence, printing became central to cultural life in major cities.
A Short History of Books (Luxury)
Books were a luxury item, often costing the equivalent of a working person’s weekly pay.
Literacy was considered a luxury.
A Short History of Books (Printing)
1884: Introduction of the linotype machine.
Offset lithography enabled printing from photographic plates, revolutionizing the industry.
A Short History of Books (Novel)
1860: Irwin and Erastus Beadle launched dime novels, producing over 4 million volumes by 1865.
Pulp novels emerged as a popular genre.
A Short History of Books (Paperbacks)
1935: Allen Lane founded Penguin Books, establishing the paperback format.
Today, paperbacks make up the majority of book sales and account for half of bookstore revenue.
Books and Their Audiences (Cultural)
Books serve as:
Agents of social and cultural change
Important cultural repositories
Windows on history
Sources of personal development
A form of entertainment and personal reflection (Bibliotherapy)
Mirrors of culture
A safeguard against job loss to automation
Libraries, Books, and Social Infrastructure
Libraries are valued for their role as essential local institutions.
They provide social infrastructure and physical spaces that influence interaction among people.
Example: The Little Free Library Movement promoting book sharing.
Books and Their Audiences (Censorship)
Books are often targeted by censors because of their cultural influence.
Book publishers have a responsibility to resist censorship to preserve freedom of expression.
Books Targeted by Censorship
Notable works frequently challenged include:
The Harry Potter series
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
To Kill a Mockingbird
Of Mice and Men
The Color Purple
The Goosebumps series
In the Night Kitchen
Aliteracy as Self-Censorship
Aliteracy: The phenomenon of being able to read but choosing not to.
Potential consequences: A cultural decline and loss of history. Joseph Brodsky (1987) emphasizes the dramatically negative impact on nations that neglect reading.
Demographics of U.S. Adults Who Have Not Read a Book in Last 12 Months
Statistics:
Gender: Men 32%, Women 22%
Race: White 22%, Black 33%, Hispanic 40%
Age: 18-49 years old 22%, 50+ years old 31%
Annual Income: <$30,000, 36%; $30,000-$74,999, 26%; $75,000+, 14%
Education: High school or less, 44%; some college, 22%; college degree, 8%
Location: Urban 24%, Suburban 24%, Rural 33%
Scope and Structure of the Book Industry
Categories of Books:
Book club editions
El-hi (textbooks for elementary/high school)
Higher education (college/universities)
Mail order books
Mass market paperbacks
Professional books
Religious books
Standardized tests
Subscription reference books
Trade books
University press books
Trends and Convergence in Book Publishing
E-publishing:
E-books and the concept of disintermediation
Remainders and Print on Demand (POD) as options
Platform agnostic publishing initiatives
Decline of Traditional Models:
The traditional cottage industry has been overshadowed by large conglomerates (Big 5).
Expectation of profitability leading to concerns regarding creativity and diversity in publishing.
Growth of Small Presses
Increased presence of smaller publishing houses.
Rise of independent bookstores and implementation of online book shopping.
Developing Media Literacy Skills
Lessons from Harry Potter:
Resonated with various age groups, encouraging empathy and personal development.
Contrasts high-quality content with perceived declines in other media forms.