The term "the media" has been used for half a century as a singular "mass noun" to refer to the agencies of mass communication. Suggesting that the word media be used in its plural form causes more problems than it solves, since the more recently-developed singular form has developed its own meaning separate from medium, which is defined as a means by which something is conveyed. Media is not the only plural word which is used as singular. For example, the word "data" can be used acceptably as plural or singular. One doesn't often ask "How many data?" and "The data show...", but rather "How much data?" and "The data shows...."