Media is the plural form of the word medium, which is a means of conveying something—in this case, information. Media serves many purposes, including communicating information about a subject or providing entertainment. There are many forms of media in the modern world. Television, newspapers, websites, and magazines are all forms of media.

Media can cover a broad range of topics. News media covers local, national, or world news, such as stories about crime, natural disasters, world politics, or important international meetings. News media includes television broadcasts, magazine articles, websites, newspapers, and more. Entertainment media typically focuses on human interest stories, movies, television shows, or celebrity news.

Media is frequently designed to influence public opinion. The ways in which stories are reported impact not only what people know about a subject but also their personal views about anything from policy issues to political candidates. Media can even influence how people dress and what they buy in a store. People often seek out media that reinforces their own views and opinions. Some people believe that this form of validation of already-held opinions is harmful to being fully informed about a topic.

Social media is a newer form of mass communication. People access social media sites on the internet through personal computers and cellphones. Internet users access sites like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to post photographs, videos, stories, opinions, and more to an audience of followers. Many of these followers may be personal friends, but others may follow a given source because they find the user’s posts interesting or entertaining.