There are many different forms of
media technology available to the general public. Some are older forms of tools, such as the
newspaper. The newspaper provides people
with a valuable and informative service.
The newspaper can provide in depth reporting for the target audience
with more information than other forms of media tools. Newspapers are generally more cost effective
than other forms of media tools. Many
elderly people prefer to learn about what is going in the world through
newspaper reading. However, younger
people may use the newspaper to find a job or learn about local sports. Business men may use the newspaper to keep an
eye on stocks. The target audience for
the newspaper can vary greatly depending on the sought after information. Government agencies use the newspaper to
announce special health events such as a public flu-shot clinic, for
example. The newspaper can also provide
special information for sales events.
The target audience that might look for local sales would be the person
that does the shopping for the household.
The newspaper gives many people needed information at a fraction of the
cost compared to television or magazine advertising. As with most media tools the general purpose
of the newspaper is to provide valuable information or a persuasive message to
the target audience. An effective newspaper
article, informative posting, or advertisement will capture the reader’s
attention.
The radio is a valuable media tool; it
can function as entertainment and informational purpose. Radio has evolved over the years to fit the
needs of the audience. Initially, radio
was used as the main entertainment for families before television replaced that
purpose. Now radio is used as a base for
informative purposes such as local weather, sports, and news. Radio reaches people that other media formats
cannot because it does not require a person’s full attention. Through radio advertisements and
announcements social interactions come about.
Although, radio consists of music it can also reach other audiences
through talk radio programs. Many audiences
will turn to the radio for music or entertainment reasons, but they also like the
usable information that they find from the radio. According to John Lannon (2008) “Usable information
connects with an audience by recognizing its unique background, needs, and preferences”
(p. 27). The radio can offer valuable information
to people and at the same time allow them to do other tasks. The radio can offer companionship for people because
it offers information and entertainment on a more personalized local level than
other media tools do. The radio can also
offer information and entertainment on a more culturally personalized level. Some radio stations offer material directly related
to race and culture. The radio offers low
cost localized programming to meet the target audience’s needs. Announcements and advertisements on the radio can
motivate the listener to take a desired action. The radio proves to be an effective media tool.
Unlike newspaper or radio, television is
something you can see and hear at the same time. This form of media has the ability to keep a
person’s attention for long periods of time.
Television media offers a sort of stimuli that reaches many audiences. The main purpose that television serves is
for entertainment and information.
However, television can serve a companionship purpose too. Many audiences choose television to watch
programs that they can identify with.
The wide array of programming allows for the personalization of
programming and advertising focused towards specific audiences. Television is one of the more expensive forms of
media tools available, but it does reach more people because of its entertainment
value and availability. Unlike the computer,
one television can be used by multiple people at one time and it can keep the interest
of these people for extended periods of time. Through programming the television can build and
maintain an audience. Other forms of media
tools are also capeable of building in maintaining audiences, but they do not offer
the same type of entertainment value as that of the television. The moving picture gives a new dimension to possibilities
of the attention span. Being able to hear
and see the other people on the television creates a feeling of actually being present
in the room with the characters. Through
television people are able to relate to the message or information being sent. The target audiences vary greatly for television,
so most of the consideration for the audience depends upon the programming.
The
internet is the newest of technological media.
The internet offers valuable information of all kinds and can seriously
reduce the amount of trips one takes to a library. The internet allows people to find
specialized information and socialize on a global or local scale. The internet
has been labeled Information Technology (IT), but it also serves as an
entertainment, business, and socialization network. The different media formats used based on the
internet reach a significant amount of people worldwide. The internet can connect people all over the
world. In general, older audiences use
the internet for information purposes, younger audiences use it for socialization
purposes, and organizations use it for business purposes. Many people
turn to the internet for information purposes. As Lannon states “Because your audience knows less
than you, it will have questions” (p27). The internet can provide countless amounts of information
like, directions to an unfamiliar address to finding out when a friend gave birth
to her baby. The internet has also served
a purpose in generating less use of paper worldwide. The internet is used for learning and instructional
purposes. From a business sense the internet
provides a great communicative tool for interaction and awareness. Social site on the internet are fast becoming a
tool that allow people to stay close and keep in touch. These sites are also used for things like dating,
job searching, and event planning. The internet
offers a tremendous amount of information to a massive audience.
Lannon, J. (2008). Technical communication. 11th ed. Published by Longman A Pearson Education
Company. New York.
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