The first thing to understand about the media is that it is ever-changing. Twenty years ago, newspapers and radio were the primary sources of news and the best way to disperse information. Nowadays, printed newspapers are just about dead, and everyone gets the news courtesy of websites and social media.

Advantages of the media include the fact that media provides a way for information and news to be widely shared. This information ranges from basic stuff like the local weather and upcoming events to the exposition of injustices. A great example to consider is COVID-19. If there was no media (newspapers, radio, television, websites and social media), it would have been very difficult to spread the news that we are fighting a deadly virus, and the death toll would have been higher.

A second advantage of the media is that it exposes us to culture, art, and ways of life which we would otherwise never have known.

A third advantage is that thanks to advertising, the media provides a platform for businesses to gain market shares, thereby keeping the economy going.

On the flip side of the coin, there are many disadvantages and dangers to the media, and these have arguably been exacerbated by recent shifts in media. Twenty years ago, our news was found in newspapers and was written by trained journalists. Nowadays, anyone with a keyboard and an opinion can get published on the internet, and this can lead to hatred and misinformation.

I would argue that many media users behave unethically. Take for example the paparazzi who were chasing Princess Diana on the night that she died. They were willing to put people's lives at risk to get the photograph and make some money. To provide another royal family example, it seems that Kate Middleton is pregnant every week if one were to take certain media sources seriously.

The media gives rise to a need for good judgment and discernment, which are not attributes possessed by everybody.

This is a really loaded and great question! There are many advantages of the media. Nowadays it is so easy to get the latest breaking news. We are able to stay up to date on what is happening around the world. All we need to do is turn on our computer or smart phone and we can instantly have the news. We are able to see what other cultures have to offer. We are able to see how indigenous people are living in their own communities. The media offers a great outlet for people to learn more about other people's beliefs and values. It is a great tool for teaching children about other cultures, as well.

On the flip side of all the great things the media offers us, there are many dangers to be seen with how much media we are exposed to. Too much information can cause mass panic in some cases. If there is a wide outbreak of some mysterious illness in a foreign part of the world, then some people may become panicked that the illness might come to where they live. The media can also be a bad thing with our children. Sometimes the media has a way of making kids thing that there is only one to look or believe. Kids are thinking that what they see is the norm and they will do whatever they can to be like everyone else. Creativity and uniqueness has become something that is looked upon as bad in the media.