Mass communication is the means by which media organizations produce and send messages to the larger public who in turn perceive, use, understand, and are influenced by such messages.  Media organizations are central to mass communication because they distribute messages and meanings that affect and reflect cultures while simultaneously providing information to large audiences.  The media allows people to see beyond their immediate surroundings and make sense of their environment.  The internet, newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and film are the mediums by which news and advertising are most commonly spread (Littlejohn, 2002).