How do religious audiences react to and use the media? How do institutional religious influences and expectations affect how they experience media news and entertainment? Drawing on theory and empirical research, contributors to Religion and Mass Media explore these questions from Jewish, Roman Catholic, Evangelical, Protestant, Fundamentalist and Mormon audience perspectives. The book looks at recent theoretical developments in the sociology of religion and communication theory; offers an overview of specific religious beliefs; examines audience behaviour; and describes specific case studies including the use of gospel rap and contemporary music in black religious communities.