Electronic Media And Print Media Are Complementary
Thoudam Imomacha Singh *
4th Annual Sports Meet organized by All Manipur Working Journalist Union (AMWJU) in March 2014 :: Pix - Deepak Oinam
Thanks to the instant communication network inspired by satellite, radio and television that has shrunk the world into a 'Global Village', today. Despite this unique advancement in communication technology, the electronic media and the press are complimentary to each other. This means both the medium can cater news and information to the millions all over the world.
Today, the human kind is surrounded with every piece of information and news. Decades ago, Pundits of doom had forecasted the death of the newspaper. But contrary to the prediction of the bad omen, with the first member of Gutenberg family the printing press continues to flourish. There was a time when it was taken for granted that the electronic media would render the printed newspaper redundant.
Now contrary to the opinion of the merchants of doom, newspapers and journals can sustain solely due to the conventional loyalty of readers.
As the world has become smaller and smaller day by day due to the advancement of information technology (IT), millions all over have also become more and more newshungry. Under such a peculiar circumstance, it would be very much pertinent to analyse the role of each of the news gatherers and news presenters belonging to classified units of the media.
A newspaper reporter with his pencil and a broadcast journalist with his microphone and television correspondent with his camera take you to the spot of event. The newspaper and radio reporters resurrect the episode by means of words in their presentation of the news like skilful writers do; whereas the television crew lets his pictures speak about the event.
All the three medium can furnish the what, the who, the when, the where, the how and the why of the episode and bring the spectacle to your home as if the Gemini Circus is performed in your living room.
A basic comparison between the Press and the Electronic media:
When we watch an episode in a television channel, it is always taken for granted that we have seen everything and nothing has been left. Whereas, when we face the next morning's newspaper we would certainly be able to discover many hidden aspects pertaining to that news.
Another factual aspect is that what radio and television can cover in three hundred words about an event, there is always much space in a newspaper for the coverage of an occurrence. In going through a newspaper report, it always provides more details about the event, a comprehensive idea of how and why.
Another advantage that the readers enjoy in reading a newspaper is that a copy of the newspaper can be kept behind so that it could be read when the mind is relaxed and receptive. But in the case of radio and television, instant and undivided attention is required.
Another significant point is in all the news broadcast by almost all the news channels across the world there seems to be no room for an editorial, whereas any newspaper writes it compulsorily.
Both the Press and Electronic journalism are primarily industries. Certainly both establishments bring money power and influence to the owner. Unless it is so, why should one bother to publish a journal or run a TV station. Besides, Newspapers, Radio and Television are consummate vehicles for the spread of education, sport, film, fashion and entertainment.
The educative force of newspapers still remains unquestioned. The toppers in the civil services examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) still remain loyal to the newspapers as their readers. Not only this, the media are a political institution, they can make and unmake powerful people from time to time. This hidden might of the media acts against the ephemeral authority of any dispensation.
A number of books written about the art of politics acknowledge the dictum of the freedom of the Press in a democracy. The Press can always withstand the authority exercise of power by any authority. In journalism, there is a question that ever remains being asked. 'What is news ?' is the question. A number of answers had already been given. But the hunt for the best logical answer is still going on.
Regarding this matter, it is also said that there is no absolute yardstick by which to judge what to report and what not to report. On the one hand, it is also said that anything can be made interesting if it is
skillfully prepared. But the logic behind the definition of news is that nothing can be news until the same is reported no matter when it happened.
The general interpretation of news is that events involving prominent people, celebrities and famous politicians could always be a source of news. President Nixon (1913-1994) once said, "For the press, progress is not news, trouble is news".
The author, would, now like to conclude that newspapers are paperworks which are extremely useful to human society. The dissemination and documentation of news by electronic media networks cannot at all harm the relevance of newspapers which have relentlessly cornered the human mind of the intelligentsia.
Thus, the print media deserves a distinct place in any human polity. In fact, the print media have a polychromatic role to play in every sphere of global society.
* Thoudam Imomacha Singh wrote this article for Hueiyen Lanpao
The writer is a Former Broadcast Journalist, AIR, Imphal
This article was posted on November 08 , 2014.
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