Meaning & use
media outlet
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A company or organization that gathers and publishes news or information for the public, such as a newspaper, TV station, or news website.
Grammar: Countable; use 'a media outlet' for one, 'media outlets' for more than one.
Patterns
- a media outlet
- media outlets
- a major media outlet
The reporter works for a major media outlet in London.
Several media outlets covered the election results.
She refused to give an interview to any media outlet.
Word forms
| plural | media outlets |
|---|
Common combinations
- major media outlet
- The story was first reported by a major media outlet.
- independent media outlet
- They founded an independent media outlet to cover local news.
- state-run media outlet
- The state-run media outlet gave only one side of the story.
- a media outlet reports something
- A media outlet reported that the company would close.
Synonyms and how they differ
- news organization
- Broader and slightly more formal; it can include agencies that only gather news, not just those that publish it.
- broadcaster
- Only for TV or radio; a media outlet can also be a print or online publication.
- publication
- Usually means a printed or online text product, not a whole TV or radio organization.
Word family
- media noun
- The plural of 'medium'; the main ways of communicating information, such as newspapers, TV, and radio.
Commonly confused: media outlet or social media?
media outlet vs social media
Social media refers to websites and apps where users share content, like Facebook or TikTok. A media outlet is a news organization that produces and reports news.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'media outlet' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A media outlet is a news organization that publishes news, so 'published an article' fits. Option An is wrong because social media, not a media outlet, is where people post personal photos. Option C is wrong because a media outlet is not a messaging service. Option D is wrong because a media outlet is not a physical device.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “media outlet”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.