The media is at the heart of cultural, social, political and economic events throughout the world. But how is the role and influence of mass media evolving? Who controls what the media tell us? What impact is new technology on the media as we know it? Building on the success of previous editions, Media Communication 3e continues to explore the changing media climate of the 21st Century. With each chapter showing how theory can be related to our everyday experience of the media, the book makes the most complex ideas easy to understand. All the key topics for first year study are introduced and broken down into manageable chunks, as the book examines the role, ownership and constraints of media production, explaining essential terminology along the way. Packed with memorable examples from international media coverage of world affairs, this new edition explores important contemporary topics from public service broadcasting and network communication to web 2.0 and citizen journalism. With helpful features, including an extensive glossary, further reading and suggestions for discussion, this third edition provides an essential resource for all those studying media and communication.