From newspapers, radio and television, to the Internet and mobile technologies,
media, communication technologies and information tools impact our daily lives in
countless ways. We use them to socialize with others, to seek out or share information
and entertainment and to participate in social and cultural debates. But what are
media, exactly? How do media institutions, technologies, and content inform the
development of society and culture and influence our activities and behaviors?
In turn, how do users shape media? What role does the economic structure of media
institutions play in shaping our relationship with them? In what ways does the organization
and presentation of information influence our understanding of the world and our
place in it? How are user-generated forms of media such as social networking sites,
blogs, and collaborative informational sources like Wikipedia changing the modern
media environment?
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