Media Sociology: the Dominant Paradigm, which was written by Todd Gitlin, is the classic literature of media research paradigm debates between empirical research school and critical research school since the 1970s. This essay attempts to restore the historical contexts of the paradigm debates and development difficulties of communication, in order to interpret the main value of his article for media research. The causal relationship of how empirical research had become the dominant paradigm of mass communication research in the USA in 1940s is clearly combed.And as well as how Gitlin evaluated its influence on the media sociology , his academic purport and background, revealing its theoretical logic and critical value. The essay suggests that the key value of Media Sociology: the Dominant Paradigm includes: it reveals the fact that the dominant paradigm in apply-original research can hardly avoid from political or economic power ; the deficiencies of empirical research makes it difficult to shoulder responsibilities of media sociology, which leads communication to get into development trouble inherently and independently.