There are three types of media that matter in digital marketing:

1. Owned Media – this includes platforms you own, like your website, social media accounts, etc. You control all content, although it doesn’t necessarily need to be under your brand name.

2. Earned Media – this includes news stories. Donald Trump got a ton of free, unpaid, earned media during his campaign that led to his election. This is the specialty of Public Relations.

3. Paid Media – this includes any paid ads, sponsorships, etc. If you’re paying a Kardashian $2 million to endorse your product, that’s paid media.

So, if you’re running a commercial during a TV show or have a paid ad placement in the show itself, it’s a paid media spot. If your CEO is involved in a sex scandal, that’s earned media. A pop-up on your website or official statement posted to your Twitter, that’s owned media.

Let me know if you need more clarification.