What are the media? – Media

Lesson objective	To explore what are the media
Lesson outcomes	• Assess how the media has changed • Evaluate the impact • Explain what the media are

Definitions.

We must distinguish between two definitions:

What is the media?

This definition refers to digital and non digital communication. Using the video below there are some examples. Remember, however, that it isn’t just digital, but also encompasses newspapers and posters etc.

What are the media?

The media relates to a series of institutions that has the capability to produce mass communication.

Why is the media important?

Around 77% of UK households had internet in 2014.

According toONS records:

• 89% of adults in Great Britain used the internet at least weekly in 2018, up from 88% in 2017 and 51% in 2006.
• ​46% of adults watched videos on demand from commercial services in 2018, up from 29% in 2016.
• The proportion of adults aged 65 years and over who shop online trebled since 2008, rising from 16% to 48% in 2018.

93% of adults had a mobile phone with 61% owning a smart phone. 7.5 million newspapers were sold nationally every day. and 96% of households owned a TV. These statistics are evident that media is very important in every day life.

Bauman in 2007 stated “during the last thirty years more information has been produced in the world than the previous 5000 years”. Technology is now a part of our every day life and evidence suggests that it is now becoming a significant part of our socialisation process. This is called media saturation. The media, therefore, holds massive power over the information we as the audience absorb. We must therefore question the relationship the media has with us as consumers.

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