What is Media?

When I asked people what "media" was, almost everyone listed different forms of media they use every day.  Any form of news was the most common answer.  I realized that when most people think of media, they do not realize how many other sources of media actually influence them.  Nobody mentioned music, advertisements, or cellphones which are things most people use or see all the time. From the people I interviewed, the most common sources of media that they use on a daily basis are television, internet, and magazines.  I think if I had interviewed people over the age of about forty, I would have probably received different answers.  Everyone also said that the main way media influences their lives is that it simply provides information. They also said they use media mostly for entertainment.  I learned that media are in many more places that we usually think about and most people do not realize how much they are influenced by it.