Media Panic – Rita Chin, James Lull – 1988
What the Book Explores
Rita Chin and James Lull’s Media Panic examines the recurring cycles of moral panics surrounding new media technologies throughout American history. The authors trace these panics from the introduction of dime novels and comic books to television and video games, identifying common patterns in how these technologies are initially embraced, then demonized as threats to social order, particularly to children. The book focuses on the social construction of these anxieties, analyzing the roles played by media, politicians, religious groups, and concerned citizens in amplifying fears and demands for censorship.
Historical / Cultural Context
Published in 1988, Media Panic arrived during a period of heightened anxiety about the effects of video games on youth. Concerns about violence in video games, similar to earlier panics surrounding comic books, were fueling calls for regulation and censorship. Chin and Lull’s work provided a crucial historical perspective, demonstrating that such panics are not new phenomena, but rather a predictable response to technological change. The book draws on historical examples to reveal how media panics often serve broader social and political agendas, acting as a means to reinforce existing power structures and cultural norms.
Who This Book Is For
This work is valuable for students and scholars of media studies, cultural studies, sociology, and history. It also appeals to general readers interested in understanding the dynamics of public opinion, social anxieties, and the relationship between media and society. The book provides a useful framework for critically analyzing contemporary debates surrounding new media technologies and their perceived impacts.
Further Reading
- Henry Jenkins, Textual Poachers: Television Fans & Participatory Culture (1992): Explores how audiences actively engage with and reinterpret media texts, challenging notions of media effects.
- Stuart Hall, Policing the Crisis: A Critical Political Economy of Mass Media (1978): Investigates how media representations can contribute to the construction of social problems and the justification of social control.
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