How the internet has affected mass media

The internet has had a profound and transformative impact on mass media in various ways.

Ideally, mass media by definition must approach over 50% of the potential national audience on a regular basis. This is now only possible in nations such as Russia and China where the government controls and censures the media and forces it to comment on news with a unified national ideology in mind.

In the United States and other relatively free nations, mass media has been almost totally destroyed, with viewerships often lower than major influencers on the internet. Mass media has largely shifted to apps, podcasts, videos, and a digital presence on the internet which competes with every other media outlet accessible via the internet. TV, which used to be a domain dominated by mass media, is now a pathetic way of trying to reach a mass audience.

Theoretically, a globalized internet suggests that mass media potentially has a wider audience than just the population of one nation. Realistically, traditional mass media outlets capture only a very small audience in countries where they exist. Blame this on a tabloidlike press more interested in sensational and extremist events or on a lack of integrity in reporting the news and information, but the fact is that traditional mass media is almost insignificant for all practical purposes.

The internet has allowed anyone with an internet connection to become a content creator and distributor. Social media platforms, blogs, and video-sharing websites have empowered individuals and small organizations to share their ideas, stories, and perspectives, challenging the dominance of traditional media gatekeepers.

The internet has provided a platform for marginalized and underrepresented voices to be heard. It has facilitated the sharing of diverse viewpoints, which may not have found space in mainstream mass media.

Unlike traditional mass media, the internet enables interactive communication. Users can engage with content through comments, likes, shares, and direct communication with content creators. This has transformed the passive consumption of information into an active and participatory experience.

The internet has disrupted traditional revenue models of mass media, particularly newspapers and magazines. The shift from print to digital content has led to challenges in monetization and advertising, forcing many traditional media outlets to adapt of face financial difficulties which if not corrected lead to bankruptcy.

Social media platforms and online news outlets deliver updates as events unfold, reducing the reliance on traditional news cycles which don’t have real-time news and information dissemination.

The internet has led to the fragmentation of audiences as individuals can tailor their media consumption to their interests. This has challenged the concept of mass media as a unified source of information for the entire population.

The internet has facilitated the rapid spread of fake news and misinformation due to the ease of sharing content. This has raised concerns about the credibility and reliability of information in the digital age.

The internet has blurred the boundaries between different forms of media. Text, images, audio, and video can all easily be combined and shared online, leading to multimedia storytelling and new creative possibilities.

Mass media on the internet can collect user data and preferences, allowing for personalized content recommendations and targeted advertising. This data-driven approach has changed how content is curated and delivered to audiences.

The internet has shifted advertising dollars from traditional media to online platforms. Advertisers can now reach specific demographics more effectively through targeted online advertising. Ad-blockers, reluctance to pay for online news, and competition from free content have negatively affected revenue streams.

Big money and big tech are now trying to control and censor the internet from politically and socially “incorrect” content with algorithms and suggestions from power brokers, which include government agencies. So, it is currently debatable whether a democracy will survive an authoritarian attempt at controlling and censoring the internet.

Overall, the internet has fundamentally transformed the landscape of mass media, impacting everything from content creation and distribution to audience engagement and business models. It has presented both opportunities and challenges, reshaping how information and entertainment are produced, consumed, and shared in the modern digital world.

Image: Matt Britt