mass medium

noun

plural mass media

: a form of communication (such as newspapers, radio, television, or the Internet) that is designed to reach many people

Television emerged as a mass medium during the 1950s, just in time to help fuel early Cold War hysteria.

—Joel Mathis

—usually used in plural

contemporary mass media

Even in an age of mass media and digital outreach, U.S. presidents are estimated to shake hands with some 65,000 people a year.

—Megan Garber

He witnessed tremendous technological changes in his lifetime, from mass media to transportation, plastics, computers and fast food.

—Marshall Button

Examples of mass medium in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Fandom has been around since the advent of mass media, but with that old world dying and the new one (bluntly summarized, its main features are social media plus the tyranny of the algorithm) very much born, now is the time of fangirls. — Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2026

While the World Cup has traditionally been seen as the ultimate B2C brand play—big budgets, mass media reach and huge brand visibility—2026 saw a quieter, but still important, shift to B2B brand sponsors and partners. — Nikos Lemanis, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

His Raising Cane’s work, titled Cane’s Anthem, continues the Pop-lite aesthetic, utilizing phrases and images that appear to be culled from the mass media. — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 30 June 2026

Radio dominated the mass media for three decades, reshaping American culture and creating entirely new industries. — Ascend Agency, Chicago Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1923, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for mass medium

• tedium
• cypripedium
• intermedium

Kids Definition

mass medium

noun

plural mass media

: a medium of communication (as newspapers, radio, or television) that is designed to reach many people

—usually used in plural