About Broadcast Media

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Wired, wireless, radio, television, audio, video, mobile

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Program production is underway - image courtesy of RachelGreen.com

Broadcast and electronic media today are portable sources of entertainment and information distributed by wired and wireless radio and television stations and networks, sound and video recordings, and the mobile Internet.

They offer informative and entertaining content of both general and special interest.

Their competitors include the traditional print media: books, newspapers, magazines and newsletters. However, today many radio and television stations and networks publish digital electronic editions or versions on the Internet alongside the publishers of books, newspapers, magazines and newsletters.

This coming together on global networks has been called convergence.

Radio

• Radio media transmit audio content wirelessly.
• Radio broadcasting is one-way communication to a broad audience.
• There are more than 12,000 radio stations in the U.S.
• Radio stations can be linked together in networks.
• Their content can be information and/or entertainment.
• Program content can be produced quickly.
• Broadcasts of audio content also can be sent via cable, satellite and the Internet.
• Most radio stations broadcast music although some transmit news, sports, talk and religious programs.

Television

• Television media transmit audio and video content wirelessly.
• Telecasting is one-way communication to a broad audience.
• There are more than 2,000 television stations broadcasting in the U.S.
• Their content can be information and/or entertainment.
• Program content can be produced relatively quickly.
• Hundreds of channels also are available to subscribers via cable and satellite.
• Television stations can be linked together in networks.
• Broadcasts of audio and video content also can be sent via cable, satellite and the Internet.

Audio Recordings

• Sound recordings of music are produced by the music industry.
• There are more than 20,000 record labels.
• Most music is distributed via the digital Internet.
• Billions of copies of music recordings have been sold.
• Non-music sound recordings include speeches, sermons, sound effects, advertising, spoken word, etc.

Video Recordings

• Video recordings are produced by the video production industry.
• Hundreds of millions of video recordings have been sold.
• Video recordings have been delivered on tape and disc and now via Internet download and streaming.
• The contents of video recordings have included movies, TV shows, commercials, speeches, corporate videos, event videos, wedding videos, special-interest videos, etc.

 Mobile Web or Mobile Internet

Mobile Web and Mobile Internet employs a Web browser on a mobile device such as a smartphone, laptop or tablet computer to access the Internet via a wireless network.

The Seven Mass Media

1. Print media - books, newspapers, magazines, newsletters
2. Recordings media - music, records, tapes, cartridges, cassettes, discs
3. Film media - cinema, movies, tapes, cassettes, discs
4. Radio media - music, information, drama, comedy, wired, wireless
5. Television media - drama, comedy, music, information, wired, wireless
6. Internet media - websites, downloading, streaming
7. Mobile media - websites, downloading, streaming to cellphones and laptops

• The fourth and fifth media are referred to as broadcast media.
• The sixth and seventh media are referred to as digital media.

Each medium has its own content, creative artists, technicians and business model.

The Seventh Mass Medium

• is personal
• is always with you
  
• is always turned on
• is at hand when you have creative inspiration
• captures the social context of media consumption
• allows augmented reality in media
• comes with a built-in payment mechanism
• gives an accurate audience measurement

The seventh mass media channel sometimes is referred to as the fourth screen:

1. Film was the first screen
2. TV was the second screen
3. Personal computers were the third screen
4. Mobile is the fourth screen

Learn more:

What Are Radio Stations? » What is broadcasting? » Radio's 90th Anniversary » Shortwave Radio » Radio and Television History » Television and Film Genres » Film, Television & the Internet » Music & Pop Culture » Introduction to Machinima » Best Machinimas Collection »

What Are New Media? » New Media History » New Media Buzzwords » News of New Media/Social Media » What is Social Media? » Social Media History » Social Media in Journalism » Social Media in Public Relations » Using Twitter in Journalism » Using Facebook in Journalism » Vlogs »

Resources for Courses »
© 2011 Dr. Anthony Curtis, Mass Communication Dept., University of North Carolina at Pembroke    e-mail    home page