... work to highlight media influence upon society. While to some extent such direction is valid and produces useful theory regarding the media and social living, authors such as Silverstone (1999) call for the direct study of the social world and social theory itself to explain how the media helps to constitute the distinct character of modern social life. This largely looks at the work of social theorist Anthony Giddens and for a more media detailed explanation the work of John Thompson. The importance of Giddens' (1990; 1991) work in relation to characterizing the distinctiveness of modern social life is justified by his approach which binds together the micro and macro issues, for example, personal experiences and subjectivity alongside institutional changes in the social world, and their interconnectedness. This approach allows for the prospect of looking at the media in a broader social context and understanding the media in relation to ...

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