This text introduces students to contemporary media scholarship in an accessible way that builds upon students' own media experiences and interests, analyzing popular genres such as soaps, talk shows, music, pornography, made-for-TV movies, advertising and romance novels.

The introduction delineates the major paradigms in media studies today from a critical/cultural perspective. It outlines the book's integrated approach to media studies which incorporates three distinct but related areas of investigation: political economy of production, textual analysis and audience response/resistance. The introductions to the parts provide a framework for understanding and analyzing how gender, race and class are structural and experiential categories that inform the production, construction and consumption of media representations.

The readings by distinguished contributors are drawn from original essays and influential, previously published articles. They provide a framework for understanding and analyzing how gender, race and class are structural and experiential categories that inform the production, construction and consumption of media representations.