The Mass Comm Murders

The Mass Comm Murders is a conflation of mystery, theory, and satire, engaging its readers on several levels. Besides providing a multi-sided overview of five perspectives of mass communication embodied in five murder suspects, this darkly droll book is also a morality tale about the shadowy underside of academic life-our conferences, publications, and 'collegial' jealousies. Readers, whether new to or mired in academia and mass communication, will enjoy this irreverent juxtaposition of media theories. -- Susan Hafen The Mass Comm Murders surely takes the award for the most original approach to media theory! * Communication Booknotes Quarterly * The Mass Comm Murders brings communication theories to life in a unique way, turning infotainment back onto the field that invented it. This book will be valuable to students of communication and to anyone interested in the global roots of this burgeoning discipline. . . . A joy to read. -- William H. Dutton, University of Southern California, author of Society on the Line

Arthur Asa Berger is professor emeritus of broadcast and electronic communication arts at San Francisco State University.

Chapter 1 Author's Note Chapter 2 The Mass Comm Murders Personae Chapter 3 "It's a very sad story," thought Elijah Ashdod-Sfard Chapter 4 The Evangelical Hamburger Chapter 5 "I'm Inspector Solomon Hunter," said the man in the tweed Brooks Brothers suit Chapter 6 "Tell me, Professor Hadley-Lassiter," Hunter asked, "what you recall" Chapter 7 Mikhaila Blotnik-Kiev Volo?inova looked scared Chapter 8 Elijah Ashdod-Sfard gave a nervous smile Chapter 9 "How can I help you?" asked Lisa Shauber Gurke Chapter 10 "Simmul's room is surprisingly neat" Chapter 11 "We've been really busy," said Dominick Wimmer Chapter 12 "Nobody's seen Professor Gurke since last night" Chapter 13 "She's not in her room," said Weems Chapter 14 "Nothing here," said Weems Chapter 15 Elijah Ashdod-Sfard's mind was racing Chapter 16 Just as Weems and Hunter were getting out of the elevator