Below is an intro to mass media, with more info a discussion on the development and circulation of material on the web.
In the present day, online platforms have made it significantly easier for everybody to produce and distribute content. Formerly, developing content for a broad audience required connectivity to a collection of essential resources and funding. Presently, with using smartphones and common digital technologies, digital media content examples such as short form videos, website posts and podcasts can be easily created with simply a few basic devices, along with reaching a massive audience, very quickly. This has opened the door for more diverse voices, specifically those who were previously overlooked by mainstream media. The head of the parent company of Guardian Media Group would recognise the importance of mass media using social networking sites, indicating that social media has created a space for underrepresented communities to share their stories.
The increase of online content has totally changed what is meant by the term mass media. In the past, mass media followed a hierarchical design, using a top-down media design. Typically, a small group of professionals, such as newspaper publishers or broadcasters, who would develop material for big audiences who mostly just consumed it. Nevertheless, nowadays, with the aid of the web, the face of media has seen considerable modification, making the consumption and availability of media a lot more accessible and interactive. With access to popular social media platforms, new media examples are revealing that individuals can create and share their own content, just as easily as they can absorb it. Social media has allowed anyone to add to public conversations, instead of just the major media firms therefore as a result, mass media is no longer managed by a few big advocates. Rather, it is spread out throughout countless user narratives around the world.
In the digital media landscape, what we see online is largely decided by algorithms which are formed by our online behaviours. Each social media platform utilizes its own automated system to suggest new material and advise product that will interest the user. The types of media content examples that will be revealed to a user is designed to keep individuals engaged. The algorithms are created to keep individuals stimulated by suggesting and promoting videos that are relevant, popular or controversial among other users. While this level of personalisation can be convenient, it can confine the areas of media that individuals are subjected to, developing more division and bias among users around social concerns. Those who are associated with media production, like the founder of the fund that has stakes in Sky, for instance, would identify the effect of social media networks in sharing new stories. Similarly, the chairman of the company that owns NBCUniversal would recognise the effects of user created material in the media landscape.