What is media?

The term media, which is the plural of medium, refers to the communication channels through
which we disseminate news, music, movies, education, promotional messages and other data. It
includes physical and online newspapers and magazines, television, radio, billboards, telephone,
the Internet, fax and billboards.

It describes the various ways through which we communicate in society. Because it refers to all
means of communication, everything ranging from a telephone call to the evening news on
television can be called media.

Media refers to the groups that communicate information and news to all people. Media have
divided into three types that are included print media, broadcast media and internet.

Print media:
Print media is the oldest media such as newspaper, magazines, journals, and other printed material. The
printing media is responsible to reporting the latest and accurate news and information.

Simply stated, print media is the printed version of telling the news, primarily through
newspapers and magazines. Before the invention and widespread use of printing
presses, printed materials had to be written by hand. It was a painstaking process that
made mass distribution impossible.

At first, news was chiseled in stone. Later, it was handwritten and posted in a public
area much like today's posters or read from a scroll by a town crier. As early as 131
B.C., the ancient Roman government produced daily news sheets and informed the
public in this way. Through the years, print media evolved to include entertainment,
educational topics and more, instead of only conveying news.

A Brief History of Printing:

Around the year 932, Chinese printers adapted wood blocks, which had been used to
print illustrations and small amounts of text, and started producing popular books more
easily. Each page of text was one block that could be used repeatedly to make the
books.

About 100 years later, China's Bi Sheng invented movable type by carving individual
characters onto small blocks of clay. Each small block was hardened by fire to
become a porcelain piece that could be used again and again. The pieces were glued
to iron plates to make a page. Using each page hundreds or thousands of times, he
could mass produce news quickly. When the printing was done, the pieces were
removed from the plates to be used again to make other pages.

Bi Sheng's invention had limited success in China because the Chinese alphabet's
characters are so large that they were difficult to put on movable type. His idea spread
all over the world, however, and others adapted it using other materials such as wood,
tin and copper. Still, the process was too cumbersome to mass produce a newspaper
for the public.

Four Main Types of Printmaking

It's been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. Writers may beg to differ, but it
can't be denied that pictures grab attention and enhance the written word, whether in a
book, in a newspaper or on a billboard.

Images have been used along with words since the early days of printmaking. There
are four ways to make prints from an original piece of art: relief, intaglio, lithography
and screen printing. Choosing which type to use depends on the effect the artist and
printer want to achieve.

Relief printmaking uses wood, plastic or metal that the artist cuts into, cutting away
the portions that won't be printed. When ink is applied to the surface, it highlights the
raised areas, much like a rubber stamp does when pressed into a stamp pad.
Woodcut has been used for centuries due to the availability of smooth hardwoods.
Linocut is a more recent 20th century version of woodcut that uses linoleum. Wood
engraving uses wood with no grain showing to achieve fine detail, and plastic is often
used instead of the wood.

Intaglio works in a nearly opposite way. Instead of creating raised areas, the artist
etches grooves with an instrument or with acid. When ink is applied, it seeps into the
grooves. The printing press pushes paper against the surface and ink in the grooved
areas is printed. Different techniques can be used in intaglio to create soft lines,
shading and detail.

Lithography uses a flat piece of material, such as limestone or aluminum. The artist
applies a greasy medium, like grease crayons, or a more liquid grease solution to the
areas to be printed. After treating the surface with a chemical solution, the ink adheres
to the greased areas.

Screen printing, also called serigraphy, uses silk or another fine mesh material which
is stretched tightly on a frame. Areas that aren't to be printed are blocked off with
paper, glue or specially made stencils. Ink is applied and pressed through the fabric
with wood to which a rubber blade has been attached. (Think of a squeegee pressed
against a surface to push water away.) The screen process is repeated for each color
used, blocking out areas that aren't to be printed in that color.

Types of Printing
Offset printing uses lithography to print on flat surfaces, like paper and plastic. When
color is used, printing presses have a separate unit for each color and typically apply
black ink first, followed by the colors one at a time. When mass quantities are needed,
such as when printing newspapers, a large roll of paper may be used instead of
individual sheets.

Flexology: can be used to print on other materials, like cellophane and plastic labels,
but is also sometimes used for newspapers. This process has a rubber plate that is
inked and applied to the printing surface.

Rotogravure is a longstanding process that uses a cylinder instead of a flat plate. The
image is engraved onto this cylinder and ink is applied. It's been used for both
newspaper and magazine printing but is often substituted today by offset printing and
flexology, depending on the purpose.

Digital printing using inkjet or laser printers has replaced many other printing
processes because of the availability of accurate and affordable printers that can print
on many different materials.

characteristics of print media:

The primary use of print media is to spread information about daily

events and news as it is the fastest way to reach the public. Apart
from that, it provides a lot of entertainment to the readers. It may
be magazines or newspapers that cover all the stories and articles
that generate a lot of interest in the minds of the public. Another
important use is that of advertisements, as print media is quite
inexpensive and can target a huge population at once.

Elements of print advertisement:

a) Strategic Targeting
Before we create our print ad, we should think of what kind of customer you want to target. The
more we know about our customers, the better we can position our marketing message to reach
out to them and create engagement and interest.

b) Header
Also known as the title, the header is a catchy phrase that draws a reader’s attention to our ad.
The header should point to a key benefit the ad describes, whether it be a discount sale or a
limited-time offer. It may also propose a solution to a problem the reader could potentially have.
The header is usually the strongest element of a print ad, as it determines whether the reader
spends time reading the ad or not.
 c) Body Section
Another common element of a print ad is the body section, which is the main part of the ad. This
section digs into the concept of the title, providing interesting information about the product,
service, or subject. This element should be well-organized and straight to the point.

d) Image/Graphic Elements
A recent study showed that consumers are more attracted to images than words. Take magazines,
for example—the content has changed significantly over the years. Now, more and more pages
are corner-to-corner photographs of models showcasing a garment, piece of jewelry, or makeup.
Readers spend more time observing the details of these large photos than they do reading the
articles in the magazines. This indicates that people value visuals, and we should take advantage
of images to target our audience and keep their attention. Photography, illustration, and other
visual elements are a very important part of an ad. They create curiosity and indicate what the
viewer will learn about if they read our ad. Like the header, these elements attract the reader to
our ad and can be the factor that makes them read on. In newspapers, pictures are generally in
black and white, but color images can make your ad stand out from the rest of the content on the
page. Make sure your image is relevant to the subject you are talking about in your ad for
maximum effect. If our headline and image or illustration are inconsistent, we will confuse our
reader and reduce the impact of our ad.

e) Call to Action
Following the ad copy is your call to action (CTA). This section guides the reader to take a
specific action, such as making a phone call to learn more, visiting the physical or online store,
or staying up-to-date on our new products by following us on social media.

f) Contact Information and Business/Store Logo

There’s no point in making an ad without letting your customer know who you are and how they
can contact you. Your contact information is a vital element of your print ad as it tells the reader
how they can call, email, text, or visit your store (physical or online).

g) Layout
Now that you have all the elements of your ad accounted for, it’s time to create a layout. The
layout is the way you put all these elements together to create your final product. Your layout
should have a focal point, and it should be either your header or the main image. This will
encourage the reader to get drawn in. Then the white space, text, and secondary graphic elements
should lead them through the body of the ad to the CTA and contact information.
Components of print media:

Print media includes those media of communication which are controlled by space
rather than time. It can be rad at any available time and can keep for record.
Following are the major print media of mass communication:

01- Newspaper:
Newspapers are the most popular form of print media. They are generally delivered at home, or are
available at newsstands, and it is the most inexpensive way to reach a huge mass of people quickly.
Different types of newspapers cater to various audiences, and one can select the particular category
accordingly.

A newspaper is divided into various segments containing current

events, sports, food, entertainment, fashion, finances, politics,
advertisements, informative articles, and so on. The advertiser, in
this case, can choose from a daily newspaper to a weekly tabloid.
Advertisers design press advertisements, wherein the size is
decided as per the budget of the client.

Newsletter:
A newsletter is a publication that mostly covers one main topic.
Sometimes, people have to subscribe for the newsletters, or many a
time, they are even free. Newsletters are generally used as
information sources for neighborhood, communities, and groups
having an interest about that particular topic, or event. They are
also used for promotional purpose, political campaigns, or for
causes.

Newsletters are also used in many schools as a communication tool

for parents, which give them information about what is new in the
school. Many companies make use of newsletters as a marketing
strategy to provide all the information to customers and employees.

Magazines:

Magazines provide detailed articles on various topics, like food,

fashion, sports, finance, lifestyle, and so on. Magazines are
published weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annually, and many of
them are sold all over the world.
Advertising in magazines costs a bit more, but it is a great way to
target some market segments. The ads in the magazines need to be
eye-catching, yet simple and elegant. Make sure you do not put too
much information to herd the page; in that case, you can provide
web details for more information. The advertisements and magazine
subscription fees are the fund providers for the magazines.

Banners:
Banners at many places are made of cloth, or paper and are used to
show slogans, logos, or some messages. It is also used for
advertising brands in exhibitions, giving out the names of products,
or services that are being provided. Like banners, posters also come
under the same category for the same purpose.
Communication details are also an important part of these banners.
Posters are mostly hung at a height and are made attractive so as to
catch the attention of the passersby. The primary use of posters can
be seen in political campaigns. Both banners and posters are
customized and include text as well as graphics―that too in a huge
size so that the message is seen from far. It is a self-made form of
advertising.

Billboard:

Billboards have mostly become digital, but they qualify under the
category of print media―after all, the advertisements are printed on
the billboard. These include text and graphics―mostly as a
combination―so as to make it more appealing.
Billboards have fixed locations and are huge in size so that it can be
seen and read from a long distance. Billboard advertisements are
the most costliest in the print media category. The price depends on
the size, location of the billboard, and mostly on the duration of the
advertisement. Apart from advertisements, a lot of promotional
activities are also done by making use of billboards. Even though it
costs a lot, it helps in targeting all the market segments.

Books:
Books are the oldest form of print media that are used as a way of
communication and information piece. They give an opportunity to
writers to spread their knowledge about a particular subject to the
whole world. They are a diverse platform comprising varied topics
that include literature, history, fiction stories, and many more, that
not only increase our knowledge but also entertain us.

A book is actually a collection of many printed pages, which are

later bound together. After printing was invented, books were
printed giving knowledge of various sectors to the world.
Brochures:
A brochure, also known as pamphlet, is a kind of booklet that
contains the details of the company, or organization. Generally,
brochures are for takeaway, so as to keep the brand in the mind of
the audience.

They are distributed in exhibitions, or shops in which particulars of

the product, or service of the company are provided along with
communication details. It is very necessary that the brochure
contains all the required details of the product or service with terms
and conditions along with the charges. Brochures generally consist
of two or three folds of glossy and colorful sheets with some nice
presentation. They are mostly distributed by hand, sent by mails, or
you may find them at brochure racks as well.

Flyers:
A normal flyer is also a part of print media. Some of the big
companies may not use this type for advertising of targeting the
market, but for small organizations, it can be very useful and can
help in generating business. A flyer should always be crisp and eye-
catching so that it attracts people's attention.

Flyers can be distributed in exhibitions, or can be put on walls of

colleges and schools, depending on what kind of audience an
organization is looking for. Printing of flyers is also inexpensive, and
so, a stack can be distributed in the neighborhood, or at signals.
They are commonly used for advertisements, or at local events and
parties.
Function of print media:

1.1.1 Education Industries

Text book is a type of print media that is transmits the information to all
students. Print media can help the intellectual and professional person to
transmission their knowledge and experience to readers. Newspapers have
provides the practice section for primary and secondary school students to
do their revision such as News Straight Times. For example, tuition Centre is
a type of education firm. Print media such as the newspaper and magazine
have a loyal readership. This function can be very useful for advertisers and
promote the courses of tuition centre. If you are targeting a specific
geographical area, so you can advertiser the new tuition centre through print
media. Magazine can promote the tuition centre through colourful pages and
can show the beautiful picture of the tuition centre. Besides that, you also
can control and plan the budget of the advertisement. For example, you can
choose the size of advertisement space and choose the colour or black and
white advertisement. In additional, flyer also can help promote the tuition
centre. Flyer will cheaper than advertise through broadcast media because
flyer will give to the target audience directly. If the information of flyer is
detail so can prove to be a proper option.

Business Industries

Newspapers contain a few of sections such as business section. In the

business section will have some article are written by the people are
successful in business. They can share their experience and knowledge to all
readers. Besides that, print media can help the boutique or shopping
complex to promote their products and inform the news of discount the price
of their products to readers. Newspaper contains the job application section
which will list the job specification and job description for job applicant. So
the company can find the employees easily through newspaper. Magazines
are a suitable option to promote the restaurant. For example, have some
cate magazines that have shown to audience about the top ten cate in Ipoh.
These will help the tourist easily to find the good restaurant and delicious
foods at certain place. Readers will interest to the advertisement in
magazine because of the better quality paper permits better colour
reproduction. These will help the restaurant increase their amount of
customer. In additional, contain some business magazine such as Fortune
and SME & Entrepreneurship magazine. This magazine will mainly analysis
on matters affecting the SMEs and Fortune magazine will covering local and
international business in news, financial news, technology, companies, global
economics and more. Print media will help to convey the useful and update
business information to readers.

Entertainment Industries

Every newspaper contains the entertainment section to readers.

Entertainment section will show the list and time table of different programs
are broadcast in different channels. Besides that, the summary of certain
program also will show at the entertainment section so readers can choose
the movie that you feel interest. Therefore, readers can save their time and
watching television program follow the time table are show on newspaper.
Besides that, the latest news of the artist and singer will write on the
newspaper. The supporter of the artist and singer can pay close attention to
their idol. In additional, newspaper or magazine also will promote and
advertise some new songs, movies and games. The new movies in the
cinema will show on the newspaper and magazine. Again, the summary of
the new movies also will write on the magazine so readers can briefly
understand about the movie. Besides that, have some games guidelines
magazine that is show the news games and will explain about the content of
the game. New movie are update in every month also will show on the
magazine or newspaper. For example, Gempak is a comics magazine these
will show and promote the news comics for readers.

Effects of print media:

Positive effects:

Advertisement: The ancient Babylonians got it right where the print

media was concerned; it is indeed an effective tool for mass communication.
That’s why companies often spend in millions each year to advertise their
products and services across various forms of print media. To put it in
perspective, Vogue magazine, which is often touted as one of the most
fashionable magazines of the world, had clocked impressive ad revenue of
$500 million in 2013 alone. The fact remains that showcasing ads on these
magazines and other forms of print media ensures that your targeted
demographic sees the ad and gets the message. And the best part is that as
an advertiser, you would have to pay only once and the recipients can view
the ad again and again, at no extra cost.

Mass communication: One of the effective ways to communicate with the

masses was through the print media. That’s why the US government ran
several ads on various print media to entice young men and women to enlist
with the army during the Second World War. Print media remains to date one
of the most effective ways to communicate with the general population.
Entertainment and news: While we do get both instant variations of both
news and entertainment through the various television programs, the fact remains that
the print media such as newspapers still holds out a special allure to many. This is why,
despite being in the digital age, most newspapers reported in an incremental increase
in total number of subscribers.
Negative effects of
Negative effects:
Negative body image: One of the things that print media had been accused of in the
recent past is of stereotyping of what it considers to be the perfect body image. As a
result, most of the pictures posted in the print media reflect the same, thin
unreasonable waistlines and this is having an impact on the younger generation. As a
result, several have opted to starve themselves to achieve that body image, resulting in
both severe health complications and fatalities.
Psychological effect and fake news: The print media needs to understand that it
plays an influential role in today’s society. But sadly, some of the companies often rile
their audiences while paying little attention to fact and even go to the extent of
distorting the truth so that they can make a quick sale. Many a riot had started with less
and the costs of such manufactured news are just rising.
Hidden agenda: Many a news story planted in the print media has often led to
governments being dismissed, presidents impeached and in one case, a king to
abdicate. It is clear from the outset that the particular news firm had an agenda, but
that should not have prevented the firm from exercising their journalistic ethics and
objectivity when preparing the news. Sadly, few chose to exercise this at their discretion
which is why the next time you read a loaded news item, you may want to keep the salt
shaker close by.