Fifty chapters by leading experts in their subjects are contained in this massive and scholarly guide to British media history. The introductory chapter outlines the complexity and diversity of media history, reassuring anyone with negative impressions of the subject, that media history is a serious and scholarly discipline. The breadth of its subject coverage is impressive and it provides an authoritative snapshot to the main trends in media history.
The scene is set by placing the subject in context by considering its development, media history debates and the role of media in society. The main formats: Newspapers; Magazines; Radio; Film; Television and Digital Media are broken down into five or six chapters each covering particular aspects of the medium. For example, the section on Television covers: The Television Sitcom; Drama on the Box; The Origins and Practice of Science on British Television; History on Television; Reality TV and Journalism and Current Affairs. This balanced view is reflected in all the sections.
The time scale covered is long. Beginning with sixteenth-century newsbooks, the work covers all periods up to the present day with reflections on social media and digital memories. In depth studies of a wide range of topics from the Reithian legacy and public service ethos to tabloid ensure that almost all interests are catered for. The only disappointment was that children’s magazines were not adequately covered. With over 400 appearing in Britain in the late nineteenth century alone, the juvenile market was a force to be reckoned with, and its exclusion cannot be justified by the suggestion that no academic studies exist. However, this is a minor cavil in an otherwise commendable work.
A particularly welcome feature is the inclusion at the end of each chapter of a short and helpful list of further reading, which really does highlight the most important books. Like the bibliographies that follow, the lists are extremely up to date. In many cases, titles from 2014 appear alongside older classic texts. It is encouraging to find such a good and comprehensive index, and this will assist librarians in retrieving information.
This book demonstrates that British media history is a scholarly and serious subject. The authoritative list of contributors gives confidence and ensures that the work can be trusted. It fills an important gap in the field and will be welcomed by students and academics alike. It certainly should feature on the reading lists for those studying the subject and will be an excellent starting point for those new to the subject as well as those undertaking serious research. The book is impressive and presents its readers with a series of thoughtful analyses on a wide range of topics. Given current concerns about the role of media in society, its appearance is timely and extremely welcome.
