Medium theory is an important framework that focuses on how the form, structure, and technology of communication media influence human perception. Instead of examining the content of communication—the message itself—the theory examines how it is communicated, the channel through which the information is received, and how different modes of communication shape perceptions of information. This concept was first developed by two Canadian scholars, Harold Innis and Marshall McLuhan, who argued that communication media are not neutral tools but powerful forces that shape people’s perceptions. Innis introduced the idea of space-based and time-based media. Time-based media, such as stone, marble (heavy, durable materials), or oral traditions, preserve messages for a long time but are limited in their ability to spreading over long distances. Space-based media, such as print and television (light and portable), quickly reach a huge audience but often prioritize efficiency over long-term sustainability, unlike time-based media. These differences illustrate how media shape political power and social structure; for example, modern states rely on space-based media to reach a larger audience and territory.
McLuhan developed this idea in the 1960s and became a central figure in media theory. His famous phrase, “the medium is the message,” argues that it’s not the message that changes society, but the medium through which it is conveyed that changes society. He also cites the example of Cubism, where Cubism presents a dramatic conflict of patterns, a play of planes and contradictions that convey the message through engagement, thus proving that the medium is the message (Durham, Gigi 2006), which reflects that the medium has a greater impact than the content. McLuhan also argued that each new medium shapes our perceptions in new ways. For example, the printing press fostered linear thinking, individualism, and literacy, while television and radio fostered collective and emotional engagement (Durham, Gigi 2006).
One of the core elements of his theory is the distinction between cold and hot media. Hot media, such as photography, film, radio, and lectures, require low audience engagement because photography, for example, doesn’t require much effort to understand, as it doesn’t require a high level of sensory perception. Cold media, such as cartoons, television, telephone, and seminar classes, are considered cold media because they require greater engagement and capacity to comprehend the material being presented. Hot media typically function as quickly consumed and easily forgotten content, unlike cold media, which requires a higher level of literacy and participation skills to understand the message. However, this also has its contradictions, such as the internet, which, on the one hand, requires less engagement due to its easy accessibility, making it a hot media. On the other hand, internet use itself requires high engagement and literacy, making it a cold media. Based on this, it can be concluded that each media source can be interpreted differently, so it is not always possible to categorize any given media channel or provide a precise example (Laughey, Dan, 2007).
McLuhan also developed another important concept—the global village. He argues that thanks to the advent of the internet, we no longer literally live in tribes, but in a metaphorical way, where people unite through the instantaneous exchange of information, obliterating time and space. This global village will reunite people within tribes and create a collective consciousness, returning society to pre-literate tribal cultures, but on a new, global scale (Laughey, Dan, 2007). We can already see society moving toward what McLuhan predicted decades ago. The internet and social media have completely recreated the concept of the global village, uniting billions of people worldwide, eradicating critical thinking, simultaneously creating contradictions and altering human perceptions.
References:
Durham, Meenakshi Gigi. (2006). Media and cultural studies: keyworks. [Online]. Wiley-Blackwell. Available at: https://www.vlebooks.com/Product/Index/22528?page=0&startBookmarkId=-1 [Accessed 3 November 2025].
Laughey, Dan. Key Themes in Media Theory, McGraw-Hill Education, 2007. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/westminster/detail.action?docID=332680.
Najmeh Khalili-Mahani. (2022). The COVID-19 pandemic pushed social media to become increasingly tribal. [Online]. theconversation.com. Last Updated: March 27. Available at: https://theconversation.com/the-covid-19-pandemic-pushed-social-media-to-become-increasingly-tribal- [Accessed 3 November 2025].
