The key theme of this textbook is the reciprocal interplay between media and society: media shapes society, and society shapes media; media creates individuals' reality, but individuals in turn shape the construction of the media. Illustrated throughout with charts, graphs and photographs, Media//Society examines issues such as: the economics of the media industry; political influence on media; social inequality and media representation; media audiences and the construction of meaning; and the future of media in a changing global culture.