Banned in the Media: A Reference Guide to Censorship in the Press, Motion Pictures, Broadcasting, and the Internet (New Directions in Information Management)

Herbert Foerstel traces the history of media censorship in the United States, from colonial times to the present day, while keeping an eye on the future. Although he covers the traditional sources of censorship--government fearing criticism and religious groups fearing those with differing value systems--his greatest concern appears to be with corporate control. He devotes his discussion to how a growing number of media outlets are owned and controlled by a diminishing number of giant corporations.

Foerstel demonstrates how, as a result of this corporate domination, a lot of censorship occurs without being noticed. He quotes studies showing that the small group of companies that are controlling media content don't wish to have that fact aired. He also makes it clear that the age-old battle for media freedom is now being fought over the Internet. While the Internet's nature is inherently wild, religious and political pressures force access providers to worry about local decency laws and other legislation. Foerstel uses real-world examples to make his point, such as Carnegie-Mellon University's efforts to block students from certain online adult material and the infamous Marty Rimm study.

Foerstel examines whether the Internet might come under growing corporate domination. Particularly captivating is chapter 4, where figures such as Paul Jarrico, renowned Hollywood screenwriter and McCarthy Era victim; Daniel Schorr; Walter Cronkite; and Electronic Freedom Foundation and Center for Democracy and Technology founder Jerry Berman share both their horror stories and their reasons for optimism. --Elizabeth Lewis