The Major Sources of Media
In mass communication, media are basically the communication tools or resources utilized to transmit and store data or information. The word media refers to different components of this vast mass communication communications industry, including print media, broadcast media, music, publishing, the television, film, and radio. It also can refer to the visual arts or entertainment, such as motion pictures, photographs, or paintings.
The media interact with each other to transmit or deliver information to a large number of consumers or clients. It provides services like news, images, sounds, and entertainment. In order for a medium to be considered a medium of mass communication in the electronic form, it must have the capability to transmit and store information in compact units that can be accessed by a large number of people at a given point in time. These electronic mediums are mainly composed of computers, cell phones, digital cameras, hand held computers, wireless computers, TV broadcasts, and other electronic devices. This is also the reason why there is such a large number of different media forms, each serving different purposes.
As a form of mass communication, this medium of communication is usually found on our televisions, radios, books, magazines, newspapers, and the Internet. These mediums form an integrated whole through which mass communication takes place. The Internet, for instance, serves the role of a medium of communication by transmitting large amounts of data into huge libraries of databases. The newspaper, magazines, and books serve as mediums of entertainment by publishing articles, photos, and illustrations. All these work hand in hand to inform, educate, entertain, and promote.
The print media is mostly available in the form of newspapers, magazines, and books. Some of them may also be available in the electronic form, via the Internet. Print media has always been the primary source of information for millions of people all over the world. Today, it still forms an important part of mass communications, despite the many technological advancements that have taken place in other forms of media.
As mentioned earlier, the most popular form of mass audience communication is through television. It reaches almost everybody, and it is very popular among all age groups. Almost all houses in the United States have one or more TV sets. Unlike the period before TV, modern TV programs have a wide variety of channels. Moreover, because of the great improvement in sound quality, TV shows can be watched easily even by people with poor hearing capacity.
Radio is another prominent medium of mass audience communication. Its development came about because of the advancement in radio technology, as new radio stations were being set up. Originally, the most popular form of radio audience communication was through the medium of radios, which were accessible only to government officials and certain establishments. However, the growing popularity of television and the relative affordability of receivers and speakers made radio broadcasting more popular than ever.