The article analyzes the current state of media in its various aspects: communicative, economic, functional, informative and others. Modern media reality is fixed on the basis of data from leading domestic and foreign media analysts and media groups and is considered in the context of the processes occurring in business, politics and society. Among the factors influencing the state of modern media, the following are considered: a decrease in the number of local news and demand for news of an international scale; pressure on journalists from politicians, businessmen, famous cultural and sports figures; changes in the ratio of demand for entertainment and news content; various ways of monetizing content used by modern media and media groups, as well as the audience’s reaction to these methods; implementation of the latest technologies in the processes of creating and promoting media. The article also considers the effects of various factors on the modern media environment. Based on the study of these data, the article provides forecasts of future media development trends. The situation with the coronavirus pandemic, its role in the news agenda, and the impact on content producers and the audience are considered as a separate factor of influence on the media environment.