Enriched by critical theory and the insights of cultural studies, and rooted in the power of historical explanation, this collection of classic and new essays contributes to the theory and practice of critical studies in communication, media and journalism. The volume helps develop alternative ways of thinking about communication and media practices at a time when the conditions of communication, participation and democracy are threatened by commercial and political interests. It is grounded in a critical theory of the media that addresses the potential of liberating individuals - consumers as well as news-workers - by challenging their traditional roles in the hegemonic relationship of media and society. Interactions may be viewed, in fact, as a critical intellectual history of the 20th century through the lens of media, communication and popular culture and in relation to the role of the individual on the cusp of a new millennium.