Expert knowledge is in demand in today's media society. This introduction answers fundamental questions of media studies and highlights connections to other disciplines. The essential media—television, film, radio, and internet—are explained, along with the basic categories of medium, communication, sign, image, text, dramaturgy, genre, and program. Insights into the central fields of media analysis, history, and theory complete this engaging introduction. This is the 2nd edition, which has been fundamentally revised.