This book goes behind the scenes to offer an essential introduction to media production. It guides students through the key issues, debates and controversies within the field. These include the increasing internationalisation of the media industries, power and control in media organisations, audience and market research and the experience of working in the media. The authors take students carefully through these and other topics, using readings from key research, carefully designed student activities and many contemporary case studies, including The Simpsons, Silvio Berlusconi, CNN, the BBC and Al-Jazeera, audience measurement devices, war and crime reporting, and rap music.