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Media effects research has deepened our understanding of the mass media. This wealth of research exists partly because funding for studies on media’s impact on young people remains popular among politicians and has drawn ready government support since the 1960s. But funding restricts the scope of some media effects research, particularly if the agendas of government agencies, businesses, or other entities do not align with researchers’ interests. Moreover, because media effects research operates best in examining media’s impact on individual behavior, few of these studies explore how media shape larger community and social life. Some research has begun to address these deficits, as well as to explore the impact of media technology on international communication.