The media is a word commonly used in the United States, but the definition of the word media covers a lot more than just newspapers, televisions and radio. The word media often refers to both groups that convey news and information to the public. The news media in the US includes many different venues and is often debated as a result. Some analysts believe that the term media is used to co-ordinate and control the flow of information to different audiences and different parts of the country at the same time.

In American journalism, the term news refers to objective reporting about specific events, which usually includes an expository presentation of the facts with a strong emphasis on objectivity. News differs greatly from fashion in two important ways: first, unlike fashion, which attempts to provide information about how people dress, act or make decisions, news outlets report the news objectively without comment on individual behavior or taste. Second, unlike fashion, which tries to influence other people through what they wear, news reporting is always unbiased.

The objectivity of news coverage has a limit, however. Some forms of objectivity, such as factual reporting, are subjective and thus are more subjective than objective news stories. For instance, if a reporter is reporting the results of an experiment, he has only the facts available to him and cannot subjectiveize them. Thus, while the reporting of events on the news can sometimes be manipulated by powerful forces such as big businesses or politics, objectivity remains a cardinal value in the field of journalism.