Print Media Vs. Electronic Media: Know the Difference Between Print Media and Electronic Media
In the field of mass communication, the term media refers to a mass communication medium that helps its users spread news and information to a very large population within a very short time. This information relates to various sectors such as politics, entertainment, education, sports, and everything else going on around the world. The two most prominent forms of media are electronic and print media. This article focuses on the degrees to which they vary. But before we look into the difference between print media and electronic media, let us understand a bit about each of them.
What is Print Media?
It is a form of mass media in which it shares the news or concerning pieces of information via the printed form of publications. Print media is the oldest means by which people still share information across an entire group of audiences. It only publishes info in a printed form (hard copy) and then releases it to its users to make it more reader-friendly than the electronic media.
Some very popular types of print media include books, magazines, newspapers, etc. No live reporting, live discussion, or live show is possible with the print media. It follows the methodology of an interval update.
What is Electronic Media?
It is a form of mass media that shares news or any other pieces of information via an electronic medium to all of the viewers and audiences. Electronic media serves as a very advanced means of sharing data and info/ news. In this type of media, the publisher needs to upload the information (or broadcast it)- after which any user can easily view it through their electronic mediums (devices). Thus, it acts more user-friendly than print media.
Some of the most popular types of electronic media include mobile app news, television news, desktop streams, and many more. As a matter of fact, electronic media makes it possible for its users to hold live discussions, live updates, live reporting, etc. It is because this media makes use of a method of an immediate update.
Difference Between Print Media and Electronic Media
| Parameters | Print Media | Electronic Media |
| Meaning and Definition | Print media is a type of mass media that creates and distributes (publishes) the content via printed means and publications. | Electronic media is a type of mass media that creates and distributes content via the electronic medium and devices associated with them. |
| Advancement | It is comparatively an earlier type of mass media. | It is comparatively a very advanced type of mass media. |
| Literacy | The owner needs to be literate to go through the written information in the print media. However, they can still enjoy visual content without the need to read it (like photo books). | Literacy is not the primary concern in the case of electronic media because a majority of the content and information is in a visual, playable form (audio and video). Thus, one can listen or watch the information. However, one needs literacy to read news, ebooks, etc. |
| Time Required for Editing | One needs more time for editing the information and updating it on the print media. | You can quickly and easily update the information available on electronic media. The process is much easier in this case. |
| Availability | It is not available to its targeted audience 24×7. It is rather available in particular instances- for example, monthly comics, weekly magazines, daily newspapers, etc. | The availability of electronic media is evergreen and 24×7. You get the information as soon as a publisher uploads it- for example, television news, news on mobile apps, etc. |
| Space Occupied | It occupies more space because a p[erson needs to physically carry the printed material around with them, like taking a magazine or newspaper in a bag, etc. | One can easily avail of the electronic media anywhere at any given time by simply using an electronic device- such as a laptop or a cellphone. |
| Deadlines | Deadlines always exist in the case of print media, and it depends on the collection of the content that we want. For instance, reporters collect news from today and publish them in tomorrow’s newspapers. | No such kinds of deadlines exist in the case of electronic media. |
| Live Content | Print media does not allow its users to get access to live shows, concerts, news, etc., with this medium. | Electronic media is the primary media used by the audience to get access to live content in the form of reports, discussions, debates, news, etc. |
| Coverage Area | The print media covers comparatively lesser areas and genres of content because the type of information it can display is very limited. | Electronic media can display all kinds of information- from texts to photographs, audio, video, etc. Thus, it covers more areas, genres, and topics pretty conveniently and generously. |
| Reader-Friendly | The print media is comparatively more reader-friendly. | The electronic media is comparatively more viewer-friendly. |
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