This did not last long. The rise of the internet ended the old “you can’t reach us, but we can reach you” dynamic. Today’s mass media landscape has changed that entirely. In the past, media could fairly be described as “anti-democratic,” since it offered a less engaging, less interactive, and less consumer-focused experience. Control largely rested in the hands of economic elites who had the resources to produce and distribute media, while those without such access were left only to consume passively, with little opportunity to participate or respond.