"This chapter reviews the historical and conceptual parameters of the international communication research area, followed by a focus on communication and development. Both parts of the chapter define the scope of the areas discussed, summarize the main theoretical approaches, and present major trend ... s in research. The chapter concludes with suggestions for future research." (Summary) more

"Through the use of meta-research techniques, this study examines how researchers in 224 studies examined the role of the media (television, radio, newspapers and magazines) in developing countries as agents of behavioral, attitude and knowledge changes of audience members from 1958, which marks the ... date of publication of Daniel Lerner's important work, The Passing of Traditional Society, to 1986. To make the meta-research more manageable, the focus was on English-language, U.S., Canadian or European based research, since it is the most widely available and comprehensive in volume. Because this study attempted to identify and collect all relevant studies, the meta-research approximates a population of studies, rather than a sample." (Page 129) more