How Media Affects Communication and Interventions in Society

Media are essentially the communication tools or resources used to deliver and store data or information. The word refers to various components of the mass-media communication systems, including the print media, broadcast media, television, music, cinema, and the social and visual media. Today, there is a wide variety of media. But, generally, the following categories are commonly used.

Early forms of media were primarily oral communication systems. For example, storytelling developed out of storytelling in ancient civilizations such as Egypt, Greece, and Rome. Oral communication is an important component of human communication because it allows people to express their emotions, thoughts, and even stories and jokes through their mouth. Examples of early forms of media include the cave painting and the earliest traces of writing.

Print media refer to the traditional physical format of a printed article. Examples of print media include books, periodicals, magazines, newspapers, and the web. This is different from the modern digital media as it usually refers to the format of a website. Digital communication is thought to replace the role of print media because it is faster, allows users to access content on the internet, and allows for a broader range of content.

News media refers to the printed versions of print media. It can also refer to pamphlets, bookmarks, posters, advertisements, radio and TV broadcasts, news sheets, and the like. News sources provide information about national, local, and international events. As such, news media can either represent factual information or entertainment sources for news report purposes.

Video and photographic media refer to the recording and transfer of media. Examples of visual media are video production, film and television, and photography. Audio-visual (AV) communication refers to the transfer of data through means such as DVDs, CDs, MP3s, or other digital media. Audio-visual media include radio and television, visual broadcasting, and cinema. The growth of the Internet has affected all types of media, because it enables users to access the content worldwide.

Communication media are used for informational purposes, while advertising and marketing communications strategies are used for sales, advertising, public relations, and management strategies. These are some of the major forms of media that have affected the way the world acquires, disseminates, and experiences information and knowledge. With increasing technological changes and shifts in the structure of media organizations, it is now impossible to ignore the influence of electronic media and communication.