Your question is quite intriguing. In my view, mainstream media refers to media organisations that are prominent in the current cultural and political environment.
In my opinion, these organisations have largely turned against the tech industry, perceiving it as a competitor and a generally negative force.
For instance, The Verge is owned by Vox, which I personally consider with all due respect an extremely biased leftist institution that has increasingly engaged in activist journalism in recent times.
In my opinion, The Verge has changed significantly since 2015/2016 and is now unrecognizable.
> "mainstream media refers to media organisations that are prominent in the current cultural and political environment"
So Fox News and Breitbart are mainstream media?
Fox is the most watched TV channel in the United States — hard to argue they're not an essential part of the current political environment. And Breitbart is certainly more prominent and influential than a niche site like The Verge. The latter's editors don't get White House jobs.
Fox News yes, Breitbart nope. They haven't been in the zeitgeist for years.
Its worth nothing that although there are no strict definitions of what counts as mainstream vs independent, the populist wings of both parties loosely group them in the same buckets.
A lifetime ago, I used to consider myself populist-left and since then there hasn't been much if any difference in what I consider as mainstream.
In my opinion, these organisations have largely turned against the tech industry, perceiving it as a competitor and a generally negative force.
For instance, The Verge is owned by Vox, which I personally consider with all due respect an extremely biased leftist institution that has increasingly engaged in activist journalism in recent times.
In my opinion, The Verge has changed significantly since 2015/2016 and is now unrecognizable.