Media
Introduction
Most people obtain the majority of our information from the media. As a result, most people form their opinions and viewpoints based on information originating from the media, which makes media incredibly powerful* and influential. Because the media is integral to our knowledge base, the accuracy and fairness of the media we receive is worth considering.
Definition
Media (the plural of "medium") is a truncation of the term media of communication, referring to those organized means of dissemination of fact, opinion, entertainment, and other information, such as newspapers, magazines, cinema films, radio, television, the World Wide Web, billboards, books, CDs, DVDs, videocassettes, computer games and other forms of publishing.
Mass Media
Mass media is a term used to denote, as a class, that section of the media specifically conceived and designed to reach a very large audience (typically at least as large as the whole population of a nation state). It can also be referred to as Main-Stream Media or corporate media, since Mass media outlets tend to be owned by corporations.
Since most mass media is owned by large corporations, there are a few important things to consider. Corporations are generally profit-oriented and are often financially affluent as a result. Rich corporations are therefore powerful*and may be actively or passively involved in oppressive* activities. Thus, corporate media may be biased and have vested interests regarding the information they disseminate.
Alternative Media
Alternative media are defined most broadly as those media practices falling outside the mainstreams of corporate communication.
These forms of media generally lack the potential biases inherent in most media, and as such often disseminate information not found in mass media. This information often relates to oppression and injustice in various facets.
* Please refer to the power and oppression
sections of this website for more information on this topic