Media Technologies

Media, and the means in which we obtain it, now comes in many formats. These various formats are becoming more and more accessible and the audience is widening. The five primary forms of media technology that come to mind are the Internet, television, magazines, newspaper and mobile media. Technically, I’ve really only listed four media technologies and they all can be accessed via mobile means. The fact that WIFI and 3G is growing so rapidly only increases the number of ways to access media.

            The Internet is now the best, easiest, fastest and most inexpensive way to find information and for people to share information. The usages are becoming more diverse and it’s actually taking a good deal of business away from anything that previously relied on paper as a means of transmitting information. The audience utilizing the Internet is increasing in it range, but is more naturally used by those individuals born during the digital boom or after around 1980.

            Television probably reaches everyone, but extends itself to a bit older demographic. It requires little technical knowledge and has also gone digital. Television offers news networks that cover a variety of important news and media, but it’s important that individual check a few different sources, as one source may be a bit biased and the news may be slanted.

            Magazines are found at the check out stand of every grocery store and are an important means of media delivery. It’s often easy to decipher between accurate and inaccurate information. For this very reason many people may argue that it is not a legitimate source of media. However, the number of people buying into magazine media alone is an indication of the potential magazines have as an engine to propel media – whether in paper or digital format.

            Newspapers are a bit of an oxymoron. All major newspapers have begun delivering their editorials through the Internet. In fact, they’ve embraced this technology, but the name news-paper has lost a good deal of meaning, as it has lost a lot of business through paper distribution. Obviously, newspapers are probably the number one contender in terms of accuracy and reputation. This is a standard they’ve lived by for centuries. They were originally close to being dubbed the fourth branch of government and are known as the watchdog. The saying, “blew the lid of the story,” comes from the newspaper and it’s journalists finding the truth and exposing prominent individuals for poor and, sometimes, dishonest choices.

 We’re living during a time where all of these formats can be accessed through mobile means on the go. Honestly, this very fact must take all of these options in to consideration, but we must be sure to exercise temperance and balance and avoid loosing sight of where the real world starts and the digital world ends.