UNDERSTANDING MEDIA AND ADVERTISING

Done By: Pushpa Anand

What is media.Changing technology.Media and money.Role of media in democracy.Media ethics and accountability.What is advertising.What are brands.Advertisement and social values.Making an advertisement.Advertising and democracy.

Index

"media" refers to various means of communication. For example, television, radio, and the newspaper are different types of media. The term can also be used as a collective noun for the press or news reporting agencies. In the computer world, "media" is also used as a collective noun, but refers to different types of data storage options.Media is the plural form of medium, and it refers to the different ways in which we can +communicate in the society.The term mass media is used for means of public communication.

What is media

Changing technologyOver the years the technology changed and print media became the new means of communication. The printing press introduced by Johannes Gutenberg in 1453 marked the beginning of a revolution in the way the world received printed information. However, printing books was quite expensive hence printed material could not be used as a mass media

for a couple of centuries. News papers became easily available in only nineteenth centaury. In the twentieth centaury technology such as printing, record pressing and film duplication led to the duplication of books,newspaper,filems at low prices for large number of people. On the basis of the technology used the mass media came to be classified as print media and electronic media.

print media

Electronic media

Do you know?First dated printed book known as diamond sutra was printed in china in 868ad.

Electronic mediaTechnology not only improves the quality but also brings about a change in our thinking. Today, we cannot imagine a life without TV, mobiles and internet. The TV and internet which use satellite and cable technology have helped to bring images from across the globe to our homes. One can view a number of channels which are aired from different countries. For example, most of the cartoon shows that you watch on TV are either from Japan or the United States.

Media and moneyIn bringing news or a favourite programme to your homes a number of technicians like cameramen, light men, sound recordist, etc, and several artists or newsreaders are required. This is like any other professions in which people have to be paid for services rendered. Therefore, the mass media requires a lot of money to run its operations. The most popular method used to earn money by mass media for running its operations is in the form of advertisements. Every time you watch a programme on TV there are several advertisements that are flashed across during the short breaks. The purpose, of course, is to influence the customer and make him buy a product. In return, those companies who give advertisements pay revenue to the channels. Radio also earns money through its audio advertisements.

Media and money

Role of media in democracyMedia plays an important role in a democracy. It enlightens and empowers the people. Access to information is essential to the health of democracy for two reason and they are as follows: it ensures that citizens make responsible, informed choices rather than acting out of ignorance or misinformation..Information serves as a check by ensuring that elected representatives uphold their oaths of office and carry out the wishes of those who elected. It is in providing this information that the media plays an important role.Media can present a balanced report only when the media channel is indipendent.It should not be under the control and influence of any body in the coverage of its news. In most democracies, laws have been enacted to give ample freedom to the journalists and ordinary citizens to access information on government policies.

Role of media in Indian democracy

Media ethics and accountability.Most of the newspapers and magazines carried reports or presented data on the rising levels of seas and melting of the glaciers at a rapid rate. The areas that are most prone to such changes have been covered in the reports.However, at a number of places the media has failed to fulfill is responsibilities.For example, many TV channels tend to focus on stories related to the films, important celebrities and their lives. Some even present great details of the fashion shows conducted in the cities. At the same time, the burning issue of farmers committing suicide goes unnoticed.Hardly 25% of national news bulletins are about health, education, development, welfare, environment, etc.Ideally in a democracy, the media should shoulder responsibility for three things.• Investigative reporting: The media acts as a watchdog reporting on corruption, human rights violation, and other forms of wrong doing which would help build a culture of accountability in the government.

Information tool and forum for discussion: Newspapers and public affairs programmes on radio and television inform, educate and engage the public and prompt them to take action.Media as peace and consensus builder: At times the media helps in peace building efforts.The media is crucial for a democracy.

What is advertisingThe very purpose of giving such information is to make the customers aware about a product or service and induce them into buying it. This entire promotional activity is called advertising. The manufacturer is called an advertiser; the message or the information supplied is called advertisement the medium through which such information is supplied like journal, magazines, television etc, are called the media of advertising.

What are brands?In fact advertisement is all about creating an image or a brand. A brand may be defined as a name, term, sign, symbol or design or a combination of these which differentiate the product of one company from that of its competitors or other identical products.Giving special names to a product by the company is termed as branding. All the companies would want their brand to sell more than the other brands. Therefore, the companies advertise through different media to highlight the uniqueness of their products. The consumer would get confused about which brand to buy because of the variety offered.Each brand adheres to a specific value that is important for the consumer. This is known as brand value.

Advertisement and social valuesThey often change our perception of how we see things and ourselves. Advertisements in this way act as a strong influence on our lives.Advertisements, thus, play an important role in guiding our choices. Not only do we select products based upon the advertisements but our own lives are also affected by it. For example, sometimes when people associate themselves with a particular lifestyle shown in an advertisement they try to imitate it in the real life as well.

Making an advertisementAdvertising is essential in getting the people to buy a brand. The question now arises how the people who advertise decide on the type of images, text and personal emotions to sell a product. To understand this, let us see how an advertisement is made.First of all, the company or the manufacturer decides upon the product that they wish to launch.The company then hires an advertising agency.It is the task of the advertising agency to find out who would be the target consumer and launch a campaign accordingly.The advertising agency carries out a survey across various cities and sections of the society and comes up with a campaign to launch the product successfully in the market.

Advertising and democracyThere is a deep link between democracy and advertisement. Most of the advertisements are targeted at the segments that are better off in the society.A lot of money is spent in the making of the advertisements. Then showing them on various media is also a costly affair. To retain its image in the minds of the people, the advertisements have to be shown again and again. This naturally results in spending of a huge amount of money.The small producers sell their products in weekly markets and neighbourhood shops.

ConclusionThough advertising appeals to the personal emotions of the people and have a strong influence on our lifestyles, as citizens of a democratic society, we must make independent choice. We must encourage advertisement with social message and discourage products that highlight the inequalities in society.