Preface. Section One: INTRODUCTION TO MASS COMMUNICATION THEORY. 1. Introduction. 2. Understanding and Evaluating Mass Communication Theory. Section Two: ERA OF MASS SOCIETY AND MASS CULTURE. 3. The Rise of Media Industries and Mass Society Theory. 4. The Rise of Media Theory in the Age of Propaganda. 5. Normative Theories of Mass Communication. Section Three: THE RISE AND FALL OF LIMITED EFFECTS. 6. Limited Effects Theory Emerges. 7. Middle-Range Theory and the Consolidation of the Limited Effects Paradigm. 8. Challenging the Dominant Paradigm: Children, Systems, and Effects. Section Four: CONTEMPORARY MASS COMMUNICATION THEORYSEARCHING FOR CONSENSUS AND CONFRONTING CHALLENGES. 9. Emergence of Critical and Cultural Theories of Mass Communication. 10. Media and Audiences: Theories About the Role of Media in Everyday Life. 11. Theories of Media, Culture, and Society. 12. Trends in Mass Communication Theory: Seeking Consensus, Facing Challenges. References. Index.