Special features to focus interest and learning: The Media in Your Life The introductory section of each chapter concludes with an interactive panel feature, "Media in Your Life" alerting readers to how their everyday media behavior relates to forthcoming issues in the chapter. This feature is not a quiz or learning check, but a chance for readers to take note of their media awareness and become alert to issues in the chapter that will intersect with their own media behavior. Datelines A graphic continuum "Dateline" spreads out major media events across time, helping students to relate events and sequences in the media story with historic events that may be familiar to them. Profiles A prominent figure is highlighted with a special portrait in each media to focus attention on key roles played by typical and influential players. "Profiles" provide a miniature "case study" of a career that can be analyzed in assignments. Impact Features Four kinds of special feature boxes present stories throughout the chapters to illustrate key social and technical influences that intersect with the media. To focus attention on key concepts and themes, the text includes these boxes: "Cultural Impact", "Economic Impact", "Converging Technologies" (stressing the continuing overlaps and blending of media functions as technologies develop), and "Global Impact" (calling attention to international influences in key areas) throughout respective media chapters. Navigating the Web Each chapter has a special section "Navigating the Web" that offers lists of Web sites that pertain to the material in the chapter and can be consulted for special projects, collaborative discussions, or term papers.