This book is broken into sixteen chapters, each of which focuses on a specific topic regarding mass communication. At the end of each remaining chapter is a reading quiz to test retention, an assignment to allow students to critically analyze an aspect of the chapter’s lesson, and a suggested discussion forum topic that students can use to debate what they have read.

It is built for a sixteen-week semester, with the first two chapters due at the end of the first week, then one chapter due each subsequent week, and a final test due the sixteenth week. It can be adapted for different schedules, and students should consult their class syllabus for guidance.

This book currently is published only as a digital publication. This decision was made to ensure that students have easy access to videos, news articles, and other content necessary to fully understanding mass media in the digital age.

Chapters 2–5 focus on the impact mass media have on society by exploring the communication model, media theory, the concept of free expression, and media criticism. Chapters 6–14 examine the industries that have emerged with each new technological advance, from print industries to electronic and broadcast industries to the digital age. The final chapter provides a glimpse of the future and discusses the abundance of misinformation media users must sift through in the digital age.