What matters to us matters to the media. “The Media” covers the plethora of means by which we receive our news. The media refers to newspapers, television, magazines, and one of the fastest growing forms of communication- the internet. Media has been seen for many centuries. In the 1700’s pamphlets such as Thomas Paine’s “Book of Common Sense” were ways of spreading information to the masses. Although cartoons were sometimes used to depict political and social happening, “mass media”- the type we have today- essentially became more popular as literacy rates amongst the general population increased.  Literacy rates increased in turn due to the availability of print after the introduction of movable type on a printing press in the late 1500’s. The media has been used to influence many generations and to provide them with information on the happenings of their world.

       A very popular form of mass media today is the magazine. Within this method of communication there are different approaches to how the news should be handled and prioritized. If  you look at a website from Times Magazine, you will see that the top stories focus on global affairs that are likely to have an effect on nations in the areas of government, economy, and social well being.This is a stark contrast from the approach People Magazine takes. The top news in this magazine is mostly in the genre of public interest and the latest social trends.

      Another widely accessed form of media is news via the internet. Here you can find a huge range of pieces, but the more people interested in a topic, the more arcticles written about this subject. If you visit CNN.com you will find that when searching for  the Oscars, there are 3,446  results 

       When you search for for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, there are only 1,178 results 

     It is apparent from this example as well as others listed below that America’s focus when it comes to news is mainly  on public interest and not global affairs. 

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Yahoo trending 

TRENDING NOW

1.    Mila Kunis

2.    Willow Smith

3.    Last WWI veteran

4.    Selena Gomez

5.    Medical plans

1. Hailee Steinfeld

7.    Asteroid discove…

8.    Tax deductions

9.    NFL lockout

10.  PS 22 Chorus

AdChoices


Top stories---- google news

Top Stories

Charlie Sheen

Dancing with the Stars

Muammar al-Gaddafi

Kidnapping of Jaycee Lee Dugard

Collective bargaining

National Football League Players Association

Jane Russell

Academy Award

Deron Williams

John Galliano

other sources
"media." Dictionary.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Mar 2011. <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/media>.

" Pace, Geoffrey L. (1997). "The Origins of Mass Media in the United States". In Wells, Allen & Hakenen, Ernest A.. Mass media & society. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 10. ISBN 9781567502886."

Dear Diary,
       I feel like a faded painting on this ranch. I once held every colour of the rainbow with such definition. I was elated to find myself a caring husband, dutiful enough to always do a Mami Elena wished, loving enough to patiently wait for Tita to get over her crush; I was the perfect daughter. I have done all this, but still I get no love from Pedro in return. Pedro is still in love with my hateful sister, and I am left to stand in the background of their indiscreet love. It is embarrassing, hurtful, and can never be; a mar on our family's reputation and yet, he continues to dote on her. How dare he be so blind as to ignore me? Hoe dare she be so shameless as to accept his love? Mami Elena ought to through her off this ranch, and reveal what a promiscuous witch she really is. She thinks she is better then all of us because of her cooking: better than Mami Elena then to address her properly, better then our wedding guests then to serve descebt, and better than me than to respect my marriage with Pedro. I can't stand to be in the same room with her. Thank God she stays in the wretched kitchen; any more time with Tita would be unbearable... Still, I must remain the dutiful daughter, even if I get no respect for my efforts. Maybe one day, all of this-- being my sister and my husband-- will pay off, and things will change...