Having taught college-level media classes at several institutions over the past 25 years, I'm always looking for books that tackle the intrguing but complex topic of media convergence. Pavlik's work is impressive in both scope and presentation. The book’s core strength is the breadth of information it provides. Readers learn about the history of media convergence while exploring dozens of important trends. The exhaustive 15-page Table of Contents makes it easy to find relevant information. The book also serves up a lot of“news-you-can-use” (non-theoretical "stuff"). For example, the section that gives tips for evaluating the credibility of online information is useful to even non-communications majors. The sections on Wikipedia (“the trouble with collaborative knowledge) and citizen journalism are other good examples of this core strength.
If there’s a weakness, it's that the book gets way too detailed in some spots. For example, do readers really need to delve into the minutia of cathode ray tubes? But I’m nit-picking. I would much rather have a text error on the side of providing too much detail as opposed to giving short-shrift to important changes in an ever-changing industry. The author adeptly covers a smorgasbord of issues that range from social networking and media ethics, to the rise of video games and changes in the music industry. Media "geeks" will find this book a treasure trove of information. ( )