Media tells you what is on the agenda, what is hot and what is not. It tells you where to go. It is your servant, guide and God. However many critics, notably Noam Chomsky, have pointed out the obvious fact that media is biased. What is reported is never neutral.
Media is always subject to financee control.
During the modern phase of capitalism it often ran the propaganda machine of the state, as that was in interest of their owners. Nowadays it usually runs it's own business, directing politicians and entire interest groups which are sensitive to public opinion. To put it in Chomsky's words, they are manufacturing consent , creating the state of mind among it's listeners and directing their actions. Among the bunch of air-heads that tend to be seriously misadapted and confused about the postmodern condition there are unfortunately a lot of journalists. So we have a bunch of confused muckrakers trying to guide a confused population into this new era.