The mainstream models of media research have made valuable contributions to our understanding of the mass media, submitting content and audiences to rigorous testing. This wealth of research exists partly because funding for studies on the effects of the media on young people remains popular among politicians and has drawn ready government support since the 1960s. Media critic Richard Rhodes argues that media effects research is inconsistent and often flawed but continues to resonate with politicians and parents because it offers an easy-to-blame social cause for real-world violence.²⁴

Funding restricts the scope of some media effects and survey research, particularly if the government, business, or other administrative agendas do not align with researchers’ interests. Other limits also exist, including the inability to address how media affect communities and social institutions. Because most media research operates best in examining media and individual behavior, fewer research studies explore media’s impact on community and social life. Some research has begun to address these deficits and also to turn more attention to the increasing impact of media technology on international communication.