McChesney

I must admit I found Communication Revolution rather interesting. Finishing the first chapter I flipped to the front of the book to review the title again, Communication Revolution. My reason for looking was because I found many similarities to Thomas Kuhn’s argument in The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. We talk about how science is made by scientists sweeping up the corners, if you will, trying to find that gem, or something that was left behind while staying within the confines of what is deemed acceptable by the “community.” Making a high level claim early in ones career is simply unacceptable. McChesney posits a similar argument in the field of communication when he reflects on his years as a graduate student and as his research evolved. Many researchers, although they were well known, made high level claims that were outside of the communication field inflexible box, and were deemed “horses@!#” (43) regardless if those claims were legitimate or not.

McChesney argues throughout the book that the United States is at a critical juncture as we are undergoing a communication revolution in which new trends in the mass media are being developed, and if not kept in check the corporate structure may destroy the under represented, smaller companies. McChesney contends this trend will continue if the public does not come to grips with the fact there is a problem and the people of the United States need to be made aware of the political situation. “The vision we had for Free Press was pretty simple. Our goal was to make media policy making a political issue in the US. We thought that the core problem was that the media system was based upon policies made in the public’s name without the public’s informed consent” (154). He goes on to elaborate on six lessons that must be addressed while “we” are this critical juncture. One of his lessons is “people actually cared enough about media issues to organize around them” (158). Because media plays a key role in a free society, the people are more than capable in organizing around the cause if they are given enough information to build an argument.

If the United States has a better understanding of the ruling discourse in the communication industry, the people may be more willing to get involved in order argue for the policies McChesney argues for:
· Wireless internet for all United States citizens
· Policies to support nonprofit media
· Informative political advertisements during elections
· Limitations of commercialism in the media (especially children’s programming)
· More competitive commercial media markets that allow for smaller media companies

This argument is one that will shape and determine the future of communication as we know it today, and for the future of our children.