Print mass media

    

 The media play an important role in the life of society. The press, the radio and TV inform, educate and entertain people. They also influence the way people look at the world and make them change their views.

        The print media includes newspapers, magazines, brochures, newsletters, books and even leaflets and pamphlets. Millions of people in their spare-time read newspapers. It is impossible to imagine our life without newspapers. Millions of copies of them appear every day. Many people subscribe to two or more newspapers, others buy newspapers on the newsstands.There are a large variety of newspapers and magazines. One can find newspapers of all kinds: national and local, official and private, special newspapres for children, teenagers, for all kinds of fans - sport fans, music fans,etc.    
       Most of the popular papers are tabloids - that is the papers with small-size pages. They place a lot of pictures, big headlines and short articles. "Quality" papers give more reading material about politics and foreign affairs: their articles are bigger in size and have much news. All types of newspapers publish a lot of adsvertisements.
        Another way to get the necessary information is to read the press online. Every morning you can look through the headlines of the famous periodicals in the net.
        Visual media like photography can also be mentioned under this sub-head, since photography is an important mass media, which communicates via visual representations. Although, it is said that the electronic or new media have replaced the print media, there exists a majority of audiences who prefer the print media for various communication purposes. Public speaking and event organizing can also be considered as a form of mass media. The print media is considered to be one of the most flourishing industries today. This medium is also particularly very popular to reach the target audience for advertisers. The different types of print mass media give a plethora of options for people to reach a varied bracket of users. So, be it newspapers or magazines, every medium has its particular advantages, a thing which should be considered to be of utmost importance by all advertisers and clients. However, print media also has its own disadvantages. Here, we shall take a quick look at the advantages and disadvantages of print media.

Advantages of Print Media:

·         Different types of print media (newspapers and magazines) have a loyal readership. This can be very useful for advertisers as compared to advertising on the Internet.

·         If you are targeting a particular geographical area, you can do so with ease through print media. For example, a local newspaper would be a best medium to advertise about a new shopping complex.

·         You can choose the size of the advertisement space. This will help you to plan the budget of the expenses to be incurred while advertising.

·         Certain forms of print media have a very loyal fans following in terms of readers. This would guarantee you added readership.

·         Magazines and newspapers are always in the eye amongst public. Magazines are read for a period of a month, which brings more attention to an advertisement.

·         You can even advertise through brochures or leaflets depending upon your target audience. If the information is in detail, a brochure can prove to be an apt option. A leaflet in that case, would be useful for a brief message.

Disadvantages of Print Media:

·         The cost incurred can sometimes be expensive considering the medium you choose.

·         The shelf life of any particular print medium is limited. Newspapers for example, are amongst the public eye only for a day.

·         This medium may not always give you a wide reach. Internet, on the other hand, can target a global audience.

·         There is a limitation in terms of the kind of people who may actually read your message. The particular newspaper may not actually be accessible every time to your target group, which means, your message may be missed! The Internet on the other hand, can be accessed from anywhere.

·         You may have to plan months in advance to advertise in print media. It does not offer you flexibility when you are faced with a tight deadline.

·         Advertisements may get lost in all the clutter of editorial and ads by competitors.

        Thus, we can see, there are certain pros and cons of print media. All in all, mass media help us to form our opinion on different events, provide us with the bimformation of what takes place in society, and are also means of entertainment.