Ordinary People and the Media

Introduction: The Demotic Turn
Ordinary People: Celebrity, tabloid culture and the function of the media
Reality TV and the construction of cultural identities
Redefining Journalism: Citizen journalism, blogs and the rise of opinion
Talk radio, populism and the demotic voice
Revenge of the nerds: User-generated content online
The Age of Entertainment: Media and cultural consumption today

Graeme Turner is Professor of Cultural Studies at the Centre for Critical and Cultural Studies, The University of Queensland, Australia

Examines rigorously perhaps the most important debate within TV Studies... Smartly and engagingly written, this book draws on Turner's extensive work in this area to show how thinking about ordinary people and media offers valuable insights into areas such as globalisation, media industries, participation, representation, cultural politics and technology Brett MillsUniversity of East Anglia



An outstanding intervention in contemporary debates about the emancipatory potential of the new media landscape. While "power to the people" may be the rallying cry in an age of blogging, Web 2.0 interactivity, and reality TV, Turner cautions against confusing the "demotic" with democracy. His deft analysis of how the media industries profit from the promotion of individualism and the "ordinary" compels us to revisit fundamental questions of power, identity, and community. Ordinary People and the Media is required reading for students and scholars navigating the shifting terrain of media and cultural studiesSerra TinicUniversity of Alberta



Graeme Turner is one of the most interesting and thoughtful writers in the field of media and cultural studies. Ordinary People and the Media is a book full of perceptive ideas and critical insights. Starting from the recognition that there has never been a time when so many ordinary people have been so visible in the media, Turner explores what this means for ordinary people, the media, and media and cultural analysis. This is a wonderful book that should be read by all serious students of contemporary media and cultureJohn StoreyDirector of the Centre for Research in Media and Cultural Studies, University of Sunderland



Graeme Turner takes a balanced and exceptionally reasonable approach to assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the demotic turn in cultural studiesJim McGuiganLoughborough University