Communication with Media Technology

As the consumer wants to be the first to know, the media wants to be the first to deliver. And social media has provided us with instant information- rather than waiting for news to travel by traditional media, information can be shared with us as soon as it is released. But what communications professionals must not forget is to deliver this information ethically, focusing on accuracy and balance.  Because of the media’s importance to our society and culture, everyone in media “has an obligation to participate responsibly… this means professionally and ethically creating and transmitting content” (Baran, 2021, p14). Otherwise, misinformation or fake news can spread.  When media isn't created and shared ethically, especially through New Media platforms, it has a negative effect on society.  Fake news has been a widely discussed topic and typically is “news stories that are false: the story itself is fabricated, with no verifiable facts, sources or quotes” (“Research Guide...

Social media platforms have changed the expectations of audiences as they consume and interact with media-related companies. Prior to the internet, people mainly consumed media through television or newspaper. A shift began in the mid-2000s, and the one-way communication that traditional media provided declined in favor of new media and the internet. This is because social media sites provided a platform where media entities could reach their audience in a way never before possible. They could now directly “reach their target audience, interact with them and create a community where communication is fluid, engaging, in real-time and works both ways” (Buyolo, 2018). Media companies could now create posts instantly, sharing relevant photos, videos, and links. Meanwhile, the comment section now allowed the audience to share their thoughts directly on the post. Social media also gave consumers more choice over what media they consume. They could now reach various media options, and had the...

Mass media is a way for information to reach a large audience. There are various forms of mass media including print media, broadcast media, and digital media. Print includes newspapers, journals, books, and magazines; broadcast media includes television, radio, and video; digital media includes websites, podcasts, and social media. Most popular platforms for daily news consumption in the United States as of February 2022, by age group. The public relies on mass media to inform them of political and social issues, entertainment, and news in pop culture. Because different forms of mass media appeal to different audiences, mass media can be used in an effort to reach specific audiences. For example, 73% of those ages 65+ consume their daily news through network or cable news, while 62% of those ages 18 to 34 consume their daily news through social media or online-only news sites (Watson, 2022).  However, the speed of information reaching an audience varies by mass media as well- news...