Mainstream Media or MSM generally refers to where Americans get their news. Previously, news consumption of an individual comprised of a local newspaper, a local TV news station, and a national news station. However, as technologies have advanced, consumers are inundated with choices for news consumption.
The outlets that comprise MSM can be a subject for debate, however, it is generally agreed upon that newspapers, broadcast news networks, and radio are the most typical. A study by the Pew Research Center found that Americans mostly agree that ABC News, CNN, The New York Times, MSNBC, Fox News, and WSJ are mainstream media outlets. One thing that makes them stand apart is their multimedia approach and team effort to produce content. Meaning, they have reporters, editors, multimedia staff, etc. all working together. Additionally, they focus on many news beats and provide space in their publication or broadcast for advertisements. MSM is a business as much as it is a publication, driving its loyalties towards advertisers and the audience. In theory, MSM is the gold standard for journalism. These are the publications that have paved the way for alternative media and multimedia content. They are the driving force that keeps Americans informed about many topics. Many of the staff members serve as a model for budding journalists to learn from and effectively communicate the truth of stories to their audiences. These news outlets are known for their credibility and content delivery. However, some journalists within these companies are giving power to bias reporting. So, if MSM is allowed to be biased, then alternative media can create echo chambers of conspiracies for some consumers.
In practice, MSM allows for bias and restrictions on the flow of information. It can give a voice to the voiceless and take power from the oppressed in one news broadcast. This is a reason why a good news consumer never examines a story from only one source, they must seek to create the full picture from multiple outlets. This will help them identify bias and form their own opinions. Also, the increased bias in mainstream reporting has created a deep
distrust in the news media for consumers, making a way for disinformation or the so-called 'fake-news.' The MSM also must filter stories to best suit their audience, meaning lots of stories are left behind. The large audience MSM garners demands a certain amount of filtration of information. Certain issues will be ignored because of air space, print space, and/or general public disinterest. However, sometimes these stories are the ones that are the most important. The public will not know about a problem, without being informed of it in the first place.
That is why news consumers need both MSM and alternative media to coexist. Alternative media provides us with those unique perspectives that MSM misses. Though, the expertise and source contacts of an MSM company are unmatched by the alternative media. Both have their validity and their place in news consumption. Both push each other to be better and more innovative.
MSM as a whole typically requires some sort of cost to be consumed. So, those of lower socioeconomic
status have less access to MSM content. This means some people can be misinformed, not based on their disinterest, but because of their station in life. This would be the
only option for gaining information before alternative media came into the picture. Now, alternative media provides a low-cost and often free alternative.
MSM was a constant presence and background noise of my childhood. My mother often watched the news as she cooked dinner and my father read the paper each morning. This, however, is changing. We now expect our headlines instantly and quickly, especially through mediums like that of Twitter. Though, we wouldn't have this without the print news writers that came before. For myself as a future communications professional, this affects the jobs that will be available to me. Will the big powerful companies be powerful when I enter the job market? Still, our society, democracy, and the spread of information are built on and around MSM.
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