Book review: News Nerds: Institutional Change in Journalism by Allie Kosterich

Abstract

communication. Chapters of this section deal with the theory of development, communication, and modernization. Here the focus is on the use of media as a tool for bringing about change in society—from the dominant top-down approach of modernization theory to the bottom-up participatory approach of development. The uses of ICT for development have become a new phenomenon, and media scholars and practitioners have given it enough attention to explore this telecommunications approach for development. However, there is a strong critique of the monopolization of these ICT companies, mostly from the developed world like the US. This has resulted in the corporatization and commercialization of the media landscape at the global level, which has influenced the geopolitics of the world. The dominant powers like the US and now China have created a new geopolitical tension. While the role of the media has been considered important in bringing about change in society, in the changed landscape imported or foreign media has been seen as a tool reinforcing the dominant ideology of big corporate companies. This is called “media imperialism” or “cultural imperialism.” It explains the political economy of the media and its power relations. This criticism led to the emergence of the concept of the participatory approach to media and communication for development. Technological advancement has given rise to new platforms for communication and allowed citizens to connect with information more easily. This is an interesting book, which explains how the field is characterized by a continuity of critical concerns in relation to power, influence, and domination; media user empowerment and exploitation; and social and sustainable development and democratic conditions, as well as geopolitical shifts, in a global context.