THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MEDIA

PPC : THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MEDIA

So, today, we’re going to switch on a new sequence. After « The American Dream », we’re going to speak about the medias. To introduce this sequence, I chose to talk about the different types of media that exist today. I think it’s really important to know perfectly the different forms of media and their advantages and disadvantages. This is why I decided to make you discover or rediscover the apparition of the medias chronologically.

• - First, who knows the first media ? What is the oldest media in your opinion ? […] This is the press, of course, with its newspapers. The very first newspaper is a German newspaper dating from 1605. Imagine therefore the number of pages and pages that have been printed since the 17th century.

- Today, we read less and less newspapers because it has several drawbacks. First and foremost, it’s quite expensive. Then, the newspaper rarely deals with the information on a long period. It informs us daily or weekly. So you have to buy it every day or every week to be constantly informed.  

- However, it has nowadays become more accessible because its supports have been diversified. In fact, you can read it on your smartphone, on your tablet, on your laptop…  So, the practical aspect is interesting.

- One could also point out that is the fact that almost all newspapers have a policy orientation. Here are some French examples:  

Le Monde: Center-Left - Le Figaro: Right - Les échos: Liberal - L’Humanité: Communist Left - Charlie Hebdo: Left - Valeurs actuelles: Extreme Right

• - The second media that appeared chronologically is the radio, which dates from the end of the 19th century. For this, no need to describe you: everybody knows the radio. It can be really pleasant because it has an entertainment element in addition to an informative aspect.

- Indeed, some radio stations are specialized in information (France Info), others in culture (France Culture, France Inter) or others in music (Nostalgi, Virgin Radio).

- Radio is a coveted media because it corresponds to everybody: kind, teenager, adult, grandpa and grandma. Indeed, most radios are specialized according to the age of the listeners. You don’t believe me? Carry a small survey in class. So, please, put your hands up to answer. Who listens to a radio as FunRadio, NRJ or Skyrock? Who listens Nostalgi or France Inter ? Who listens to France Info or France culture? And you miss Maury? What do you listen to? (No  keep your age for you please).

- You see, in this class; we are between 16 and 18, and the most listened radio stations specialized in entertainment. Radios as Fun, NRJ, Skyrock are specialized for young people. This is an advantage of this media: the affected public is very large. In addition, it’s free. So, what else?

- On this document, you can see the most listened radio stations in France. You can note that the first one is RTL, the last one is France Culture.

• - The third type of medium is the cinema that had its heyday in the mid of the 20th century. This media is rather special because it can be considered as an entertainment or as an information source.

- That’s true, when you go to see a movie; you are often informed on the latest trendy restaurant or where you can practice bowling with your family on Sunday. It is true that the cinema relies mostly advertising and consumerism.

- Nevertheless, it provides a unique open mind because you can absolutely choose what you want to do at cinema:

relax and entertainment / dream on the latest James Bond / cultivate himself about the animal condition of polar bears in Antarctica

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