ABSTRACT
As an industry with such a profound impact on society, it seems the mass media and their functions would be greatly understood by the general public. The mass media, however, can be one of the more misinterpreted and misunderstood industries. The term mass media can be better understood by breaking down the meaning of each of the two words. When used as an adjective, the word mass denotatively means large. Because of communication technological advances, mass is appropriate in describing the current media environment, as the media are at unprecedented size. The term mass indicates size but also conveys a sense of speed with which information can reach the many. It can simply be stated that every time technology changes, the communication and mass media environment changes. Through the technology of cable, satellite, and Internet communication vehicles there are more opportunities for gathering, distributing, and retrieving mass media content and these opportunities are almost certain to grow.
