Librarians and the communication revolution

In the book Communication Revolution: Critical Junctures and the Future of Media author McChesney explains why we are in the midst of a communication revolution that is at the center of twenty-first-century life. Yet this profound juncture is not well understood, in part, because our media criticism and media scholarship have not been up to the task. Why is media not at the center of political debate? Why are students of the media considered second-class scholars?

This book provides strong evidence of how and why the American media system is failing to fulfill its role as an institution of American constitutional democracy, but it goes further to argue that we are living in a uniquely opportune moment – a “critical juncture” – during which we have the chance to make changes to the system.

Librarians whose profession is intertwined with media and communications should understand the policies and structures of the media landscape and be active participants in creating policies and structures that benefit the free flow of useful information to all groups of people.