A systematic review of 3 years of popular magazines sought to determine if articles are published that constitute rhetorical criticism of the mass media. The survey revealed that rhetorical criticism was published in a wide variety of popular magazines, but was not labelled as such. Television (TV) was the focus of most of these critical analyses, specifically the role of TV in our lives, role stereotyping and commercials, TV politics, and TV religion. No methodological techniques were mentioned by name or by implication in any of the articles. Methodology in the articles was not mentioned by name or implication, but seemed to resemble most closely experiential criticism--well written insights growing out of a knowledge of how messages function and based to a degree on personal experience. In a course at California State University, Sacramento, students were expected to analyze magazine markets, write query letters, and write essays of rhetorical criticism for popular markets. Teaching critical writing for popular audiences requires some changes in the academic definition of what is acceptable. Popular articles tend to neglect references, omit methodological detail, and adopt a colloquial style; however, none of this means that quality criticism need be abandoned. Writing for a popular market offers an avenue to disseminate critical analysis that has to date been largely neglected and would be worthwhile to both the critic and the general public. (SRT)