ABSTRACT
The "MEDIA"? You often read or hear reference to this mammoth, wired, humming beast. But this popular usage of the word "media" can be misleading. The phrase is sometimes used to mean not just the technological tool used to communicate (e.g., clay or video tape) but also the content of the medium (e.g., nightly news, "violent" drama) and organizations supporting the medium (e.g., the networks, cable companies, or "the press"). The term media even encompasses the whole social and cultural system built around transmission channels or interfaces like television. The problem: the term conflates too many elements.
