Mass Media: Press, Radio, Television, and Internet

Posted on Feb 5, 2025 in Electronics

Media

Systems through which information is transmitted to a wider audience are also called mass media. These include the press, radio, and television. Their primary functions are reporting, opinion, and entertainment.

Press

The press is the oldest form of mass communication. The first newspapers in Spain appeared in the 18th century, but it was during the liberal revolution of 1868 that freedom of information truly emerged in the 19th century.

Joint Press Code of Communication

  • Written word: Journalistic texts must be clear, easily understood, and sufficiently attractive.
  • Image: Supplements the written word (photographs, illustrations, etc.).
  • Design elements: Color, combination of different sizes and fonts.

Functions of the Press

  • Reporting: As objectively and truthfully as possible.
  • Opinion: On current events, contributing to the general reader’s understanding.
  • Entertainment: Many journals try to be an alternative form of entertainment for readers.

Types of Publications

  • Newspapers: Report the most recent news.
  • Magazines: Non-daily publications. These can be general or specialized, focusing on certain issues or targeting specific groups of readers.

Organization and Design

  • Cover or front page: Main news and texts are complemented inside the newspaper.
  • Most relevant content: Placed on odd pages and at the top of the page.
  • Number of columns: Related to the importance of the news.
  • Image: Highlights one piece of information over another.
  • Other elements: Color, different font types and sizes.

Radio

Radio is a medium that transmits acoustic signals through the airwaves. In the late 19th century, Guglielmo Marconi made the first wireless transmissions from a distance.

Radio Language

  • Verbal language: The basic code, through which words and intonation transmit information.
  • Music: A central or auxiliary resource.
  • Sound effects: Recorded or special effects that mimic sounds like laughter or a storm.
  • Silence: The absence of sound can be very expressive, reinforcing sound and creating anticipation in the listener.

Television

Television is the most influential medium in today’s society. Regular broadcasts began after 1929 with the BBC, and national TV networks were created in the 1950s.

Television Language

  • Visual code: Combines moving images (the central plane, angulation), sound (music, sound effects that complement the image), and verbal language.
  • Verbal language: Oral language is dominant, although written texts often have an auxiliary function.

Internet

The internet is a global means of distributing information that allows people to communicate through their computers. It can be seen as an immense hypertext, using multimedia language (a code that integrates all types of signs: sound, image, text).

Interpretative Journalism

  • News and Reportage: The journalist reports on current events in an objective and sober style. The reportage is an extension of the news story, explaining the circumstances in detail.
  • Chronicle and Critique: Reporting on the facts and offering the personal impressions of the author. Chronicles deal with political, social, or sporting events. Critiques deal with cultural events like concerts, art exhibitions, upcoming movies, or plays.
  • Editorial and Article: Opinion pieces that discuss a particular topic. The editorial expresses the view of the newspaper itself, is not signed, and is deliberately precise and direct. The article expresses the opinion of the author, is signed, and usually has a style closer to literary language.

Structure of a News Story

  • Title: Indicates the subject of the news.
  • Intro: The initial part of the news, summarizing the important data (who, what, how). It can appear separated from the body and typographically emphasized.
  • Body: Develops accurate data in descending order of importance.
The Language of Journalism

Journalists write for an average reader and have to achieve:

  • Clarity: Using clear structures, simple sentences, precise expressions, and commonly used vocabulary.
  • Concision: Condensing information into a small space, leading to brevity and conciseness.
  • Dynamism: Capturing the reader’s attention, encouraging them to continue reading, and making them feel like a direct witness to the facts. Present tense or historical present tense verbs are used, and statements from individuals are introduced in direct style.