American Mass Media and Popular Culture introduces the impact that mass media have on American popular culture. In this anthology, students will be exposed to a wide range of voices and ideas about media issues and media effects, as this reader is structured to help students examine popular culture through a critical and empirical perspective. In particular, students will explore various new media and their persuasive effects. The three-part anthology consists of 26 essays. The first part provides guiding principles, theories, and perspectives needed to examine American mass media's influences and effects. The second part covers a range of popular culture topics such as romance, love, and sex, and takes a close examination of American television's socialization effects on shaping viewers' attitudes, values, and ideals. The third part introduces new media and their impacts on American popular culture, encompassing teen emancipation, blogging, texting, and romantic communication over social media such as MySpace and Facebook.