Intense commercialism has been a perennial hallmark of the mass media ever since its inception and throughout the twentieth century the techniques and strategies of the dominant players in the world of media and advertising have become increasingly sophisticated, with the development of multinational media corporations and electronic media opportunities. Developments have been so rapid that scholars are only now beginning to come to terms with the full impact of media commercialization as a global phenomenon cutting across traditional cultural, economic, and social boundaries. Critical Studies in Media Commercialism brings together an impressive collection of essays that explore the growing complexity, range, and reach of media commercialism in today's world. From the corporate conglomeration of today's media giants to the effects of advertising on politics, society, and the individual, this collection provides a comprehensive and insightful critique of both the impact and the limits of media commercialism in the modern world.

'... an extremely comprehensive and versatile presentation of the subject. ... must be highly praised for providing the reader with a very wide spectrum of critical approaches to media commercialism from a range of reputed scholars and practitioners in the area of media and communication.' The International Journal of Media Management

Robin Andersen is Associate Professor in the Department of Communication and Media Studies and Director of the Peace and Justice Program at Fordham University. She is the author of Consumer Culture and TV Programming, and her numerous articles appear in books and scholarly journals such as The Media Reader, Journalism and Popular Culture, and The Humanist. Her current research is focused on the environmental impact of consumer culture. Lance Strate is Associate Professor and Chair of Fordham University's Department of Communication and Media Studies. He is the editor (with Ron Jacobson and Stephanie B. Gibson) of Communication and Cyberspace and is currently working on a books entitled Understanding Media Ecology and The Legacy of McLuhan (with Edward Wachtel). He is Supervisory Editor of the Media Ecology Book Series and founding President of the Media Ecology Association.