Mass Communication Theory: Foundations, Ferment, and Future

This new edition of Baran and Davis's successful text provides a comprehensive, historically based, introduction to mass communication theory. Clearly written with examples, graphics, and other materials to illustrate key theories, this edition--now streamlined to increase accessibility--traces the emergence of two main bodies of mass communication theory: social/behavioral and critical/cultural. The authors emphasize that media theories are human creations that typically are intended to address specific problems or issues. The Second Edition includes new coverage of the Internet, as well as many updated examples.