"Have Native-Americans always been portrayed accurately in books and films? What about historical depictions of African-Americans -- or women? Do contemporary newspapers accurately reflect the needs of the poor? For better or worse -- and too often, it's for the worse -- mass media depictions play a crucial role in shaping our views about individuals and social groups. Diversity in U.S. Mass Media offers comprehensive coverage of the evolution and myriad issues surrounding portrayals of social groups within the mass media of the United States. Issues addressed include representations of race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and class in films, television, and the press. Also shown are ways in which new media have impacted such representations, including some of the innovative new Internet resources that are giving a voice to various social groups. By providing illuminating insights into the ways social groups are represented through the mass media, Diversity in U.S. Mass Media can help us immeasurably in gaining a better understanding of groups and individuals different from ourselves"