Includes bibliographical references (p. 149-155) and index.

Media awareness for all -- Getting to know the first amendment -- Sex, skin, and swearing -- This is not news -- Television news or MTV? -- Packaged politics -- Media-saturated kids -- Big media, little responsibility -- How you can fight back--today.

Viewer Discretion Advised shows where our media have gone wrong and what we can do about it. Established media critic Jeffrey McCall illustrates the problems with much of contemporary media content, why it is this way, and how consumers can actively shape the media. McCall explains how the news agenda is formed and why it fails to effectively inform the citizenry, how the First Amendment does and doesn't work, and how to manage children's media use. He further highlights the overwhelming influence of big media corporations in dictating cultural standards and the government's role in regulating the media. The final chapter is a helpful guide on how readers can actively challenge media companies. Stop complaining about media content-change it! Book jacket. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.