To address today's media-saturated world, Introduction to Mass Communication keeps media literacy and culture at its core. Using examples of the past to show how mass communications got their roots--while keeping current with the latest emerging technologies and trends--Introduction to Mass Communication gives students a deeper understanding of the role media plays in both shaping and reflecting culture. By understanding and evaluating the ways in which media convergence is changing the landscape of media today, students are guided to think critically about their own roles in society as active media consumers and, increasingly, as media producers. Through these lenses, students are encouraged to be more ethical and confident participants in the mediated world. Media literacy is about living in, interacting with, and making the most of the world that surrounds us. That belief is the central philosophy of this release of Introduction to Mass Communication.