“What is Media?”
Media is divided into two primary categories that include mass media and mass communication. Mass media involves industrial creation and distribution of movies, songs, newspapers, novels, TV shows, internet, and magazines on a large scale. On the other hand, mass communication involves the use of symbols to share information with a broad and diverse audience through several channels. Such channels may include binary computer numbers, motion pictures, and languages, among others. Media has evolved through three major eras that include written and oral, print, and electronic/digital periods. Out of the three eras, the electronic era involves a diverse and more efficient media approach. Since the media in the previous eras may still be found useful today, they do so through a process known as media convergence. Even though media has made it easier to communicate and interact despite massive distance apart, it has the challenge of fitting into some cultures based on ethics and interpretation.
“Sell and Spin”
Through history into contemporary marketing, advertising has evolved and is still revolving around persuasion. Therefore, one era before 1950 that I think has been significantly influential to today’s advertising climate is the Oral and Written era. In today’s advertising platform, it is common to find written word phrases that are aimed at catching attention. For instance, words such as “guaranteed” and “exclusive” are popularly used. On the other hand, the media era after 1950 that has significantly influenced today’s advertising climate is the electronic era. Advertising is on almost all social platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter, among others. They seek to get the attention of various users of such platforms, which is growing in billions in the 21st century. I, therefore, believe that the media mirrors society. It brings to the people what they want and what they are excited to hear or see.