Walter Benjamin: "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction"

Even the most perfect reproduction of a work of art is lacking in one element: its presence in time and space, its unique existence at the place where it happens to be. This unique existence of the work of art determined the history to which it was subject throughout the time of its existence. This includes the changes which it may have suffered in physical condition over the years as well as the various changes in its ownership. The traces of the first can be revealed only by chemical or physical analyses which it is impossible to perform on a reproduction; changes of ownership are subject to a tradition which must be traced from the situation of the original. - Walter Benjamin

Walter Benjamin is saying in this quote that anytime an artist pants something or draws something and he or she has a meaning of their work, the meaning of the work changes on the perspective of the viewer.  These views change as the times change, what a painting means in the early 20th century could have a very different meaning when someone looks at it in the late 20th century.  For example the swastika in 1900 had a very different meaning that it has now.  Today it is impossible to show the swastika in a good light after all the evil it has attached to it.  

This quote relates to the media today because the media has the power to make interpretations on something and make people believe it.  This is a very powerful power because many people these days do not have the time to look at something in many different ways.  Rather people hears what the media says and they believe it.  However if a person does look at the situation from an objective view they would most probably have a different view than someone else.