Print Media vs Electronic Media

Print Media vs Electronic Media

The word media conjures up images of newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and internet along with reporters and correspondents with their recording devices and cameras running after celebrities. There was a time when the world of media was dominated by newspapers, and the owners of newspapers were moguls in their own right. The invention of radio and television opened up a world of possibilities and the media got divided into print and electronic versions. The recent emergence of the internet has added strength to electronic media in no uncertain terms. For those aspiring to make a career in the world of media, it is important to understand the differences between print media and electronic media. Let us take a closer look.

Print Media

For nearly a century, media was synonymous with print media as newspapers and magazines were the only sources of communication and for dissemination of information. Books, periodicals, newspapers etc were a great medium in the form of paper and text, printed using ink. People had very few means of entertainment and relied a great deal upon information provided by print media, to make opinions. People started their mornings with newspapers to get their daily dose of information from the world of politics, entertainment, sports, and about their city and the world at large.

The information being in printed form, it is possible to carry newspapers to all places and read them anytime one desires. However, uneducated and illiterate people cannot make use of print media as they cannot read. In print media, reporters and writers have no face and they are behind the scenes, loving a life of anonymity. Print media is not available at all times and gets published at regular intervals so that one has to wait for the fresh edition to arrive in the market.

Electronic Media

Electronic media includes all mediums of sharing information that are not in print form. Therefore, radio, television, and the internet make up this form of media. People can listen on radio and see live pictures of events and calamities along with the comments, opinions, and remarks of correspondents and experts who are now in front of the camera and not behind the scenes. All this has made electronic media a much more powerful version of media as it has visual appeal and more convincing power. Live pictures can be very moving, turning the opinions of people much more easily than printed text. Electronic media, especially television, has been instrumental in taking not just information but also transforming the world of entertainment.

With electronic media, we have 24 hours news channels beaming programs that are live. This means that one can get access to the latest breaking news anytime of the day and he need not wait till morning to know what happened last evening. Live telecast of events has made the world a small place to live in as people can enjoy sporting events being held thousands of kilometers away while being able to watch political summits and other important events. Who can forget the live images of Pentagon and World Trade Centre being attacked by terrorists on 9/11? Similarly, natural calamities are beamed right when they take place to all parts of the world making people aware of what is happening in remote corners of the world.

What is the difference between Print Media and Electronic Media?

• Print media is the earlier of the two types of media, and it ruled the scene for nearly a century

• Print media is available at regular intervals, and it is not possible to get to the fresh edition when one desires while electronic media is available 24X7 and one can get access to breaking news in all parts of the world through live pictures

• One can get to electronic forms of newspapers anytime of the day on their computers through internet

• Print media thus has a presence online, and the thin dividing line between print and electronic media has become blurred