Definition
Radio, television, newspapers, the Internet, and magazines, considered as a group: can be followed by a singular or plural verb
Origin and usage
The word media is a plural form of the Latin word ‘medium’ meaning ‘middle ground or intermediate’. Its usage as a word to describe newspapers, radio and other sources of information likely derives from the term ‘mass media‘ which was a technical term used in the advertising industry from the 1920s on.
Examples
The word media refers to any form of communication that delivers information. Common media outlets include newspapers, radio, television, magazines and internet sources like blogs or online publications. Today, ‘social media‘ is a term that many people are familiar with; this describes information distributed on social networking websites.
The main goal of the media is to inform or communicate with the greatest number of people possible, all at once. The public relies on the media to learn about social and political issues, entertainment, important world events, popular culture and local and global news.
In the past, the media was mostly limited to newspapers, magazines and other printed publications. Technology helped to advance the media and expand the options for people to get their daily news and information, first on the radio and then on television. Now, many millions of people rely on the internet to get their news and online media outlets have become very popular all over the world.
Quotations
“I don’t think there’s a… boundary between digital media and print media. Every magazine is doing an online version.”
(Bill Gates)
View the full definition in the Macmillan Dictionary.
