After studying this chapter, you will be able to:

• Describe how the media developed as a private industry in the United States from the colonial period to the present day.
   
• Summarize how control of the media industry has changed from the 1950s to the present day.
   
• Define what is meant by “media synergy” and illustrate it with at least three examples.
   
• Explain why Apple, Google, and other tech companies may also be considered leading media companies.
   
• Describe the concept of long-tail media and its implications for the future of the media industry.
   
• Identify six groups that influence how the media behave and what content they present.