This concise, student-friendly text teaches the essentials of telecommunications. It is directed at all students as consumers of media, as well as at students who plan to be media producers. The first section of the text focuses on the various media forms (e.g. radio, the Internet), while the second section addresses the functions of media (programming, advertising, etc.); however, the various chapters may be read in any sequence, with the help of an effective glossary that defines all potentially unfamiliar terms.