Eight of the papers focus primarily on the media in Great Britain; one paper examines media issues in the United States. The authors examine the reasons why the media are routinely blamed for tragedies such as certain murders, as well as for perceived trends such as the alleged demise of the family and the rise of undesirable subcultures. The analysis also focuses on the development and current status of research into media effects, the power of common sense notions of media effects, and the way in which the issue of effects has become embroiled in debates about censorship and freedom of expression. The authors argue that an urgent need exists for informed and interdisciplinary approaches to the study of the media. Notes, reference lists, and index (Publisher summary modified)