Blog Post #9 : Main Stream Media

When I am assigned to write about a topic I am not totally comfortable with, I actually tend to enjoy it more due to discovering so much information embedded within the topic exploration. This happened when I was assigned to study MSM or mainstream media. Of course, I have heard mainstream media being mentioned previously, but in all honesty I did not know of its extensive influence… but that soon changed. Mainstream media was a classification that was created within the world of journalism to basically group all large broadcasting and publishing media outlets that reach the large majority of the general public. Up until the 2000’s, mainstream media solely consisted of the news (both published and broadcasted) and the national broadcast system. Yet, today the classification of mainstream media has drastically expanded.  Common examples of mainstream media include CBS, CNN, ABC, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. These media outlets all share a leading goal, to reach the most amount of viewers. 

Although everyone can say they are familiar with one outlet that is considered mainstream media, there are more underlying implications. There are both positives and negatives that affect our general public that we might not be aware of.  One of the most beneficial outcomes of mainstream media is to inform current generations of their rights and keep them educated on current matters. Due to the heavy influence of mainstream media today, its outlets maintain a global audience. This is another positive influence of mainstream media - its ability to be mass-produced and reach an extremely large audience.  One of the most significant downsides of mainstream media is that they are commonly embedded with bias. Some have even been accused of trying to divert the audience due to their reach of the population. This has been seen throughout many presidential elections.  For example, Fox News has been connected with a conservative stance and the Republican Party, while CNN has been seen to lead more towards the liberal ideology and the Democratic Party.  There have actually been several incidents where outlets will manipulate their information in order to help gain favor for the political party their beliefs are aligned with. In a recent experiment conducted by The Washington Post and Mike's Hard Lemonade, it was found that 70% of Americans have reported that they feel overwhelmed by the news that is constantly being published, and 56% of that number are adults that claim that it has added serious stress within their lives. This is not going unrecognized by the sources, for there seems to be a strong effort in beginning to publish more uplifting news articles. 

Media has become an inseparable part of our society. Whether it is education, politics, cooking, technology, or fashion, nearly everything is influenced by mainstream media. It is constantly surrounding us and influencing our daily lives. One of the most evident reasons for the media is to cover current situations that occur, for as citizens we want to be informed on trending topics, and mass coverage can lead to a better understanding of contemporary issues. We are also affected by the media because outlets can pick what they want to include within their coverage, which can be misleading. There can be various serious matters that may be going on globally and that we are uneducated about because the media does not want to cover it. This is the largest effect that mainstream media has on us, because it is so accessible and constantly surrounding us. Essentially, their coverage is what we know to be our world today. 

Currently, mainstream media reaches nearly everyone within our society, from the educated to the illiterate. There is a visible target within each of the outlets that are considered to be mainstream media. Outlets such as The New York Times and CBS are considered to be elite types of media. These sources are agenda-based and have specific targets and reaches. They are able to do this due to the immense amount of resources they have. The direct audience of The New York Times tend to be named “privileged”. Most of the readers of the New York Times are typically seen to be wealthy or middle to upper class, or have been connected to a political party. Other outlets such as ABC and CNN reach the majority of the public, despite their social or political status. In a 2021 survey, it was proven that ABC and CNN were the most commonly known outlets that are considered mainstream media. This means these outlets are reaching the general population and all factions, wether it be the old or young, the gay or minority, rich or poor. It is clear that the media reaches everyone, and yet some outlets target different audiences. 

Since mainstream media is already so heavily involved within our lives today, it is concerning to think how it may impact future generations. We rely on the media, especially those outlets that are considered mainstream, to educate us on an array of topics.  The media was really first introduced with World War I, which was mostly just propaganda. The start of the mainstream media influence was slightly before the generation of most of our grandparents, which grew and expanded as they did. Have you ever noticed that many of our grandparents will believe anything they see on the news? That is because they trust the media, for they have relied on it since they were born. In today's world, we have learned that not all news we encounter is accurate, which can make us more discerning in finding the truth.

In all, it is evident that mainstream media is here to stay. It has only grown and become stronger from its inception, and has embedded itself more within our society and daily lives. Despite all the negatives of the media, I am hoping that the effort to prioritize positivity will continue. I also hope that all of society will become more educated concerning the purpose of mainstream media and to learn what to rely on or not. Overall, I believe that when properly utilized, mainstream media is a benefit within our society.