Medium is the Message

Definition of Medium is the Message

The Canada social science dictionary [1] provides the following meaning of Medium is the Message: A central idea of communications theorist Marshall McLuhan (1911-1980) who demonstrated that each media (print, speech, television) is connected with a different pattern or arrangement among the senses and thus results in a different awareness or perception. Although the literal message of a radio report of a disaster and the television coverage of the same event may be identical, the event will be perceived differently and take on different meaning because the two media arrange the senses differently. In this sense the medium (the singular for the word media) is the message; this message is often more important than the literal message.

Medium is the Message: Resources

Notes and References

• Drislane, R., & Parkinson, G. (2016). (Concept of) Medium is the Message. Online dictionary of the social sciences. Open University of Canada