Social media is a database which can provide micro and macro news information about issues. A democratically administered open platform could become the first true independent news source.
Unless the media is in the public domain, capital interests will always purchase and control the influence of information over the public.
News sources National Public Radio are publicly funded but is are not in the public domain.
Social media can be the new free press. Because Social Media is an online database, it can post, sort, rate and search records as never before. Social media or the technology behind it can provide a verifiable rating of anyones integrity. Every council person, senator, or judge would have an open data trail that would explain behavior, and expose corruption.
There is no reason why you can not control the media you use.