Mass communications is a multidisciplinary field that draws on research methods from the humanities, social sciences, statistics, computer science, and engineering. It evolves and adapts in response to emerging technologies, political perceptions of 'the media', social concerns, and economic pressures.
Mass communications research can be divided into these core areas:
- Media as profession: "Past and present" of media institutions, organizations, production techniques
- Media content: representation and expression
- Media consumption: research on audiences, consumers, effects of advertising