PLATFORM : Media Are Many

At first the use of the word media as a collective--media is, media does --was just annoying. Putting newspapers like the New York Times and the National Enquirer in the same basket is absurd on its face.

But treating media as a singular noun has become common usage. Even some journalists do it. That plays into the hands of those who think that politics and popular culture are being manipulated by a media conspiracy. Our letters column has had its share of this conspiracy theorizing.

That’s bad two ways. The media are-- are-- important to us as we try to make sense of our world. To waste psychic energy worrying about a nonexistent media cabal trying to control our thoughts is alienating and hurtful. Further, this gets in the way of discriminating criticism, which newspapers, TV and radio can use plenty of.

We go about this news business imperfectly, God knows. When we err we should be called on it. But keep the criticism focused. A good way to start is to keep the word media plural. Or stop using it altogether. It’s a dumb word anyway.