The media types are the different channels through which information and entertainment are disseminated to the audience.
For a time, media have always been part of our world, even during the olden days when people used several communication methods.
But as time passed, different modes of communicating started trickling in providing news for the general public.
Today, we don’t have to travel miles to get the valuable information and news we need for our day-to-day activities.
Media refers to any information delivery system disseminating messages to a targeted audience. TV, Radio, the internet, and many other types of media available now convey and message to the public.
Media is the prime source of information, entertainment, marketing, advertising media, and motivation for everyone anywhere in the world.
The primary role of media is to convey messages to the audience through the most appropriate channel for their product.
In this article, you will learn about the different types of media we have today and how all these media influences us.
You can classify media generally into three types.
Print Media
Print media is one of the different types of media that is a traditional or old-fashioned print media that today’s parents grew up with.
This media is widespread in the 80s and 90s, entertaining the people then because this media is the only available media during that time.
Print media is still available nowadays, but it is just not as common as it used to be 20-30 years ago.
Furthermore, people generally relied on print media like newspapers and magazines for information and entertainment about their vicinity, country, and the outside world in general.
There are several types of Print media which include:
1. Newspapers
The newspaper is a significant source of information printed daily or weekly for many readers that is either for local or national news.
News related to fashion, sports, politics, technology, science, international and national news, entertainment, celebrities, and even advertisement is what you will see in a newspaper.
Furthermore, newspapers allow prompt delivery of detailed information with many exciting features for the target audience.
Generally, newspapers are flexible, having a geographical and language selectivity with widespread coverage.
They are also inexpensive media types with a high frequency. However, while some of the newspaper’s advantages are above, this type of media also has disadvantages: They have a short life span.
Their color can quickly fade if water gets to it or when you didn’t keep it adequately. The poor presentation and quality of many newspapers are also a significant disadvantage of this media type.
Lastly, illiterate and impoverished people find it very hard to access a newspaper.
2. Magazine
The magazine is printed weekly, monthly, or yearly. They also contain information on finance, food, lifestyles, politics, fashion, etc.
So many people cannot differentiate between newspapers and Magazines because they serve almost the same purpose but in a different way and method of presentation.
A magazine is just a specialized advertising media that allows detailed messages and many illustrations, colors, and photos.
They also servers entertainment, educational, and other consumers needs, business, and industries. Furthermore, Magazines can also be local, regional, or national based.
Magazines have a higher quality of physical products because they print them using high-quality paper than newspapers.
They also have a more extended period of use because the information available in a magazine can be helpful for many months or years.
They also have high reader involvement and the fact that they can reach specialized groups. However, the high cost, limited frequency, and affluent magazines are significant disadvantages.
They also have low flexibility and a long response time.
3. Direct mail
When you receive postcard promotions or informational flyers delivered through USPS at your home or business address, that is direct mail.
This type of media features particular audiences. They are also convenient and accessible for consumers because they won’t need to make an extra effort to get the content.
It also gives room for opportunity for creativity and personalization. However, the high cost of creation, time requirements in printing, mailing, and delivering the content, and low response rate from recipients are the significant disadvantages of direct mailing.
4. Books
Well, a book focuses on just a particular topic in a subject, or a whole issue in general, allowing the reader to know more about a specific subject or topic.
5. Billboards
Billboards are advertisements created in a big way using a computer. Billboards’ goal is to attract people passing by. Hence it is big and placed where people passing can easily see it.
6. Banners
Banners are similar to billboards but not as huge as billboards. They use them for advertising company services and products. Banners are in a place where they can attract people’s attention.
7. Brochures
Like banners and billboards, brochures are also used for advertising, but they are small booklet that only includes everything about a company.
The products and services the company renders, terms and conditions, and importantly, the contact details and address of the company. You hand them over to people or distribute them with a newspaper.
8. Flyers
Flyers are a type of media used mostly by small companies because the cost of advertising with a flyer is usually low. They contain information about the company, the company logo, services, products, and how you can contact the company. They are in public areas.
Broadcasting Media
Broadcasting media is one type of media that includes videos, audio, or even written content.
They provide people with essential or entertaining information shared using different methods below.
9. Television
Television gives audiences visuals and audio in delivering information and entertainment. Television is generally a principal source of information and entertainment for people exposed to mass media.
This type of media is the most authoritative and influential medium for reaching a large audience.
Furthermore, only a few channels sharing various types of content is on TV in the past.
Still, nowadays, we now have access to multiple channels showing different contents, ranging from sports, lifestyles, movies, fashion, news, and many more to choose from.
TV has several advantages, like the powerful audio-visual media earlier stated. They also have a wide range of coverage with effective cost.
This type of media also collects all your attention when watching them because they are intrusive.
They also have high selectivity and flexibility. However, despite having all these advantages, they also have some disadvantages: High cost of purchasing a television, messages delivered on television are generally short-lived.
You can change channels or fast-forward to avoid commercials.
10. Radio
Radio offers listeners audio programming without visuals, including music, news on entertainment, sports, and other critical information.
Radio is widely used for advertising because of its high reach. Furthermore, Radio as a type of media is one of the oldest means of communication and entertainment.
The advantages of Radio include the low cost of advertising on the Radio, its flexibility of targeting listeners based on time and location.
This type of media also has comprehensive coverage and can reach low-income audiences. However, the disadvantages of Radio as a type of media include no visual elements.
Listeners can also change channels, and the short ads lifespan gives Radio some disadvantages.
11. Movies
Movies have worldwide reachability. It’s the best type of media that promotes culture the most and spread social awareness.
Movies also give opportunities for advertisers to incorporate their products outside a traditional advertisement, although these are not so common except for movie advertising movies.
These media types have a vast reach average of over 1 billion movie attendance annually. They also engage the audience and target geographical and specific age demographics.
However, the high cost of watching a movie and the low frequency put movies at a significant disadvantage.
Internets
Internet is a worldwide medium that provides means of exchanging information through a series of interconnected computers.
These media types are rapidly becoming people’s favorite advertising medium because it offers limitless advertising opportunities.
Furthermore, this medium involves using the world wide web to showcase a website. They are accessible to anyone with access to a computer and broadband connection.
These media types are vast, becoming people’s favorite because it is a highly interactive global medium that generates an immediate response.
They also provide high selectivity and flexibility. However, the cost of getting a PC is high, the prices of acquiring data and broadband connection are very high also.
Internet media are social networks, online forums, and Email.
12. Social Networks
Many people refer to social networks as social media, including Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp, Snapchat, Linkedin, Tumblr, etc.
Some others are social websites, including Quora, Reddit, Youtube, etc. These social networks are user-friendly and widely used and accepted by many people all over the world.
They also have a large audience and can directly connect to consumers. However, misleading information is the most significant disadvantage of these networks.
People can easily say anything they like without any regulation. Its time consuming and have a high potential for negative comments, and it can also be costly.
13. Online Forum
An online forum can comment, message, and discuss a particular topic. This type of media is regarded as the best platform to seek support and assistance because you share knowledge with people with the same interest.
14. Email
Email is a type of media that companies or individuals generally use to reach customers and individuals quickly and directly. They are inexpensive and straightforward to create.
Customers not seeing the mail you sent or not clicking on it is a significant disadvantage of using mails.
