The words “platform” and “medium” can either refer to broad concepts in communication and technology, or to the popular online blogging site named Medium. Because these terms overlap heavily, they are best understood through both their conceptual differences and how they merge in real-world applications. 1. Conceptual Differences: Platform vs. Medium
In communication and information technology, these two terms represent different layers of how information is shared:
Medium (Plural: Media): The core format or physical material used to express and deliver information. It defines how content is experienced. Examples include text, audio, video, oil paint, or print.
Platform: The underlying hardware, software, or digital ecosystem that hosts and distributes that medium. It dictates the rules, monetization, and social structures of how the content is delivered. Examples include iOS, YouTube, Spotify, or WordPress. Focus The expressive format of the content. The system or infrastructure hosting it. Examples Written text, audio, video, photography. Substack, YouTube, TikTok, Apple Podcasts. Constraint Governed by human senses (sight, hearing). Governed by software code, algorithms, and policies. 2. The Website: Medium (Online Publishing Platform)
The intersection of these two concepts is perfectly illustrated by Medium, an American online publishing platform designed specifically for the written medium. Origins and Purpose
The Founders: Launched in 2012 by Evan Williams, a co-founder of Twitter and Blogger.
The Goal: It was built to host long-form text and nuanced ideas that could not fit within Twitter’s strict character constraints.
The Structure: It functions as a form of “social journalism,” blending independent amateur blogs with professional publishers in a single hybrid network. Key Features of the Platform The Medium is Not the Platform | (Re)Structuring Journalism
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