News agencies provide content to the media.
A means of communication is a technical resource that allows the development of a communicative process . In general, the notion refers to those systems that enable the provision of information to potentially millions of people simultaneously.
Before moving forward, it is important to indicate that the concept of medium , from the Latin medius , has multiple meanings. In this case we are interested in its meaning as something that serves a certain purpose.
Communication , meanwhile, comes from the Latin communicatio . The word refers to the transmission of signals through a common code shared by the sender and receiver.
Characteristics of a media
A means of communication is an instrument that allows a sender to transmit a message to one or more receivers . Its operation is associated with technical and technological issues, but also with social factors (cultural, economic, legal, etc.).
According to the classification made by the German communications scientist and journalist Harry Pross ( 1923 – 2010 ), the primary media are those that are related to the body itself. The voice , in this framework, is a means of communication.
Secondary means of communication , meanwhile, include the use of technology by the sender , although the receiver does not need any artifact or device. A magazine and a newspaper are media of this type.
In the case of a tertiary means of communication , the use of technical elements is essential for both the sender and the receiver. That happens with radio and television .
Advertising advertisements are usually the main source of income for media outlets.
Historical development
Taking into account what has been expressed, it can be indicated that the human body was the first means of communication. Through voice, oral narration made it possible to spread fables and myths, building a meaning that passed from generation to generation.
Drawings or paintings and smoke signals can also be considered, in this context, as rudimentary means of communication. Then, with manuscripts , the transmission of information reached a new level.
The idea of a means of communication associated with a process of mass reach began to be forged in the 15th century with the invention of the printing press . This technical progress laid the foundations for the dissemination of brochures , pamphlets and books in the first instance and later for the appearance of the written press .
Already in the 20th century , radio and TV began to emerge, which for a long time were – along with newspapers – the most important mass media . Thanks to them, journalism acquired great social relevance and was positioned, according to many analysts, as the fourth power (adding to the executive branch, the legislative branch and the judicial branch) due to its influence.
At the end of the 20th century , the emergence of the Internet represented a true revolution in the media. The World Wide Web facilitated the transmission of content in multiple formats, allowing anyone with minimal resources to become a broadcaster and assume a role analogous to that of a journalist, beyond professional differences.
Bloggers with their blogs ; community managers and influencers on social networks ; podcasters with podcasts ; and YouTubers with streaming (live broadcast) became communicators capable of having an enormous reach. On the other hand, the Internet even modified interpersonal (non-mass) communication through email and instant messaging , also reaching mobile telephony.
With artificial intelligence , augmented reality and virtual reality , innovations in communication made possible by the digital world continue to occur, opening up possibilities with an impact that is still difficult to measure.
Digital media outlets turn to SEO specialists to position themselves in search engines.
Types of media
The types of media are numerous since multiple classifications can be established according to different criteria. If you pay attention to their ownership (that is, their owners), it is possible to differentiate between public media (run by the State) and private media (generally in the hands of businessmen). There are also community media , which are non-profit and managed by cooperatives or civil associations.
Depending on their scope or target audience, a distinction is usually made between local media (such as a radio that transmits via FM in a neighborhood), national media (a channel with television programs that can be viewed anywhere in the territory of a country) and the international media (a magazine that is distributed in a dozen nations).
When considering the support, we can mention printed media (newspapers, magazines), audiovisual media (radio, television) and digital media (which use the tools provided by the Internet). This classification, however, today is diffuse: a printed newspaper can have a digital version, where it includes audios and videos as part of the content. In a simplified way, it is usually said that print and audiovisual media are traditional media , while those supported by digital media are modern media .
Other categories emerge from the analysis of the message or content. It is indicated that hegemonic media contribute to the preservation of the status quo , while alternative media or independent media give space to actors who seek to promote social change or who do not have other places to make themselves known. their ideas to the community.