Print Media Vs Electronic Media

We are living in a rapidly developing and modernized era where technology is taking charge in every walks of our life. This technology may come with many advantages and disadvantages as well. Every development is due to rapid modernization, improvement of old administration methods and the use of new technology to make things even better. However, with the growing modernization, human demand for knowledge is also increasing. Media serves an important role in keeping people informed about the events and innovations around the globe. This information may reach us in two forms, either through print media which is the oldest method, or the other one can be electronic media. With the improvement of electronic media during the past few years and daily reports on achievements, electronic media has dominated over print media during the past few years. Print media is the oldest form of Mass Media, and still not outdated. Daily about 70% of people start their day by reading a newspaper, which is the oldest media around the world. The newspaper gives us information about the whole world within a few minutes of a reading session, with a choice to skip the topics that we are not really interested in.

Print Media still forms an important part of Media Industry which has been given a competition by electronic media and a new technology called e-newspaper applications. But still, newspaper holds its value even today and is competing strongly with technology backed media. Basically said, words printed with ink on paper that is attached in different ways provide different kinds of information, education and entertainment. These may consist of chapters or themes, pictures, advertising and so on and the emphasis is made on makeup and an attractive appearance.

Print Media

Printing is a process for reproducing text and images, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing. Print media make use of the printing means to spread some news, information or message among a large number of people. Print gives a broader range of access to the knowledge about the particular topic and enables future generations to build directly on the intellectual achievements of earlier ones without the changes arising from verbal traditions. Print media today is being challenged by its electronic counterpart. But there are several unique advantages that help both the mediums to create a niche place in the media industry. Print media is more capable than electronic media to deliver localized news that may interest city or district residents, also helpful for educational purpose. Print media can be in the form of newspaper, magazines, book or printed journals and pamphlets.

Three Important Types of Print Media

• Newspapers, that unite news, articles and advertisement in a frequent and regular manner and present them in an attractive manner that creates interest of the reader along with providing accurate and authentic information about the latest events around the world and other aspects of life - related to health, entertainment and other social grounds.
• Magazines focus on deeper research on the particular topic. Magazines generally offer feature stories, interpretation, interviews, analysis or research. The basic feature of the magazine is its focus towards a particular topic. Whereas a newspaper contains information from every social aspect of life, the magazines concentrate their complete focus over a particular topic and provide a complete research analysis on that topic. For example, there are certain magazines available in the market that focuses particularly on a single topic like fashion, technology, cars or interior.
• Another form of print media includes books; these can be seen as the cultural heritage providing literature, scientific reports, history etc. The books can be referred to as textbooks or general literature or storybooks available in the market which still holds its readership even today. There are many, who are still addicted to the novel stories or some short stories by various writers. These books are not only in the form of stories but also in the form of biographies, about historical events, some research work or may contain views about some social cause.

Print Media has educated and informed masses for a long time and is searching for a large audience, but it mainly refers to educated readers and those who are not used to handle electronic media. Newspapers, as well as magazines, are financed through advertising and circulation which makes the ad more effective. It’s not so easy to publish a book successfully without proper funding, which is provided by the advertisers or publishers.

Electronic Media

Electronic media use electronics or electromechanical energy for the audience to access the content. This electronic information may be accessed in many ways, either through the internet, television or radio. This is in contrast to static media (mainly print media), which today are most commonly created electronically, but never required electronics to be accessed by the user, and are generally in the printed form. The primary electronic media sources familiar to the general public are in the form of a news channel, radio presentation, video recordings, audio recordings, multimedia presentations, CD-ROM and online content. Most new media are in the form of digital media. However, electronic media may be in either analogue or digital format. Any equipment used in the electronic communication may be considered electronic media and this equipment may include television, radio, computer or telephone. The news is the most common form of electronic media. Information on current events which is presented by print, broadcast, Internet, or word of mouth to a third-party or mass audience is provided by the news channels.

Electronic media has emerged as a powerful source for making people aware of the latest happenings around the world. Today there are more than 100 news channels giving information about various national and international events related to the field of sports, business, politics and fashion. These days there are special channels dedicated variously for sports and business etc. that telecast news related to these to these areas only. One can easily access these channels without paying anything extra. Also, there are separate channels and articles available on the internet that discuss a particular topic and make you aware of the various facts about your desired topic.

General Comparison between Print Media and Electronic Media

Both print media and electronic media are in a constant state of competition, both competing to super pass each other. Both of the media have their own set of unique features that make them distinct from one another. These basic points of difference are:

Print Media

• Choice of reading, that is the user is free to read anytime from the newspaper, whatever he wishes to read and can be carried anywhere.
• The much affordable form of media, when compared with the electronic media
• For an individual, it’s quite an easy proof for any sort of information – People especially living in rural areas can easily afford a newspaper as compared to TV etc.
• The user does not require any kind of medium like radio, television etc. for the data transmission
• It is your choice to access this media at any point of time, not like electric media where a program is telecasted at a particular prescribed time.
• The relatively easier form of accessibility public for campaigns etc
• Print media allows the reader to store away articles that be used any time in the future.

Electronic Media

• A more advanced form of media.
• Introduces relatively more revenues and job opportunities as compared to the printed forms
• The relatively more innovative form of media and includes motion pictures, animation etc. which make things even more attractive
• A variety of options available, unlike print media where one has to stick on to a single set of document. People can surf through different channels, site etc. whatever they like or want
• Very appropriate for immediate broadcast like the result of instant Elections, reviews of public and some match results
• Works better for people with hearing and seeing disabilities.
• Can be reached faster and can be made LIVE.  
• Can be very effective for spreading awareness at the national and international level
• The standard of television news is deteriorating much faster than that of print media.

Comparison of Popularity between Print and Electronic Media

Electronic Media
Electronic media is gaining more popularity these days. During earlier times people depended on newspapers when there was no other source of news and information and sometimes got to know about facts quite late. The major limitation of print media was that only the urban people and those who were well educated could read newspapers. The Electronics media has replaced print with better and fast flowing news and information. Those who cannot read can watch and listen to the news broadcast on television and radio respectively. Also, it is an advantage for visually impaired people. Today electronic media has spread everywhere, both in urban and rural areas. Electronic media has become so effective that we watch live telecasts. The best part of Electronics media is that it gives life picture and the scenes of the places of incidents and that too without much delay.

With electronic media, it has become possible to see all National and International programs straightaway and watch the movements of the crowd with some live action transmission also becoming popular with this media. Another added advantage for electronic media is that we all see the news and happenings in TV so many times during the day that it neutralizes the interest to read the same news in the newspapers again the next day. There are a large number of news channels available on television these days broadcasting different information and programs. There are many people interested in watching the burning topics or very commonly termed as breaking news of the day and also very much interested to hear comments of prominent people about the current events or in case of some important event. This participation of some prominent people in the matter concerning general people makes it more interesting and more informative. The electronics media thus updates the knowledge of the people.

Print Media
We may say that electronic media is trying to dominate over the print media these days, but we cannot close our eyes to print media. Print media in every form has its own importance and prominence which cannot be replaced by anyone else. Today there is a tight competition between the newspaper and the electronic medium. Also the competition among various newspapers is also increasing day by day which has made the print media cheaper, qualitative, informative and fast. The print media always is accurate information in detail. The journalists and editors of newspapers are more efficient and experienced than those of TV who just hire people based on looks rather than their journalism skills. Experience and well-qualified journalists are successful in presenting information in an analytic manner, which helps the reader to be clear about the facts and the subjects and also create their interest to read further. What we generally see on TV is only the highlights and a lot glamorized version. Nevertheless, for detailed information, we go through newspapers, which give it in a broader manner about any matter or happenings.

We cannot disagree over the fact that the utility of print media will always remain informative to help a man to progress in his life. In all newspapers, the editorial page contains the broader views of the prominent editors on the current and sensitive issues, which give the detail and structural information about the matters and also the views of some prominent people over the common issues of the community, state or country. The intellectuals generally are keen to study such matters from the editorial section of the newspaper. Print media covers all possible major and minor information sources and highlights even national and international events. Print media is famous to make sectioning of topics with the aim to give specific and broader information, and these sections may include information from the field of sports, politics or business.