ABSTRACT
The entire study of mass communication is based on the premise that there are effects from the media, yet it seems to be the issue on which there is least certainty and least agreement. This apparent uncertainty is the more surprising since everyday experience provides countless examples of small effects. We dress for the weather under the influence of a weather forecast, buy something because of an advertisement, go to a film mentioned in a newspaper, react in countless ways to television, radio or music. We live in a world where political and governmental processes are based on the assumption that we know what is going on from press and television or radio. There are few people who can trace no piece of information or opinion to a source in the media and much money and effort is spent in directing media to achieve such effects.
