Hollywood in the Information Age: Beyond the Silver Screen

Welcome to the Hollywood that your teachers, parents, and the media never told you about. It wasn't that these influential propagators of information didn't want to keep this information a secret from you: they simply didn't know any better. Janet Wasko takes readers on a journey through the history of the business side of Hollywood--who owns what, which companies are in bed with one another and how those hegemonic relationships influence which programs and information make it past these media "gatekeepers" into the mainstream. Be prepared to have your eyebrows raised and your jaw dropped when Wasko reveals the intricate relationships maintained between media outlets (such as Disney and ABC) that play up on their rivalry in public, but are partners on the sidelines. The title of this book does it no justice: this book is chock-full of information and is a must-read for media, journalism and film students and those interested in critical history.