Unit 2-2 (Print Media)

2.
PRINT MEDIA
Print media are traditional mass media published on paper. Print media represents the oldest
and the most widespread type of mass media because as opposed to electronic media it does
not require an elaborate technical infrastructure on the part of the user. It mainly comprises
of newspapers and magazines. Newspapers are clearly associated with information and show
an emphasis on political issues and current events. They are valued as a backbone of the
democratic public sphere because they enable comprehensive public discourse. News
magazines also serve an information function, whereas most other magazines are more
committed to entertainment and leisure. These magazines show a diverse spectrum ranging
from lifestyle to special interest magazines.
Today, the print media comprise newspapers, magazines, trade journals, textbooks, posters,
leaflets, direct mail literature, and the printed material and graphics of various types shown
on the wide and small screens. In addition, a variety of mass circulate commercial items now
roll out of the printing presses. These include wrappers, calendars, packaging labels,
postcards, street banners, postal stamps, currency notes cheque books, stationery pads as
also works of great art. Much of educational and cultural systems, information and promotion
departments and government publishing depends on print today. The principal technological
advances which have accounted for this growth in the domain of the print media are
computerisation and automation in typesetting, image manipulation of word processing,
multi-colour scanning, processing and offset-printing.
The emergence of radio, television and later online media have posed threats and challenges
to the print media. However, the print media have effectively withstood these challenges.
The broadcast and new media with all their pervading presence have not caused the death of
print media as predicted by many scholars. The print, broadcast and new media have
complemented each other. However, the onslaught of the digital media has lowered the
circulation figures of newspapers in the world except in the Asiatic region.
Origin
The history of modern media begins with the printed book – certainly a kind of revolution,
yet initially only a technical device for reproducing a range of texts the same as, or similar to,
what was already being extensively copied by hand. Only gradually does printing lead to a
change in content – more secular, practical and popular works (especially in the vernacular
languages) as well as political and religious pamphlets and tracts – which played a part in the
transformation of the medieval world. At an early date, laws and proclamations were also
printed by royal and other authorities. Thus, there occurred a revolution of society in which
printing played an inseparable part.
The invention of movable type by Johannes Gutenberg, a German, around 1450s was a
turning point in history. He designed, set the type and printed two hundred copies of his
famous forty-two-line Bible. Gutenberg’s innovation touched off a communication revolution
in the Western world and gradually in the other parts of the world. The printing press spread
and consequently more and more books appeared in the language of the ordinary people.
In India, printing came first to Goa in 1556. Actually, the press was to be established in
Ethiopia for the Christian missionaries. But the sudden death of the Jesuit priest who was
accompanying the press led to the press remaining in India. This way, printing was introduced
in India accidentally. After 22 years, in 1578, the second printing press was established by the
Christian missionaries at a village Punikael in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu mainly to print
religious books. The first non - missionary printing press - and the third in India - was
established in Bombay.
in 1674. The first English newspaper, James Augustus Hicky's Bengal Gazette was published
in Calcutta in 1780. The first language book was the grammar of the Bengali language.
Although the first Bengali language newspaper appeared in 1816 for a short while, the regular
Indian-owned language newspapers were started by Raja Ram Mohan Roy in 1822.
Types of Print Media
1. Newspapers
Newspapers are the most popular forms of print media. Newspapers can vary from daily
newspapers to weekly tabloids. Different types of newspaper cater to various audiences.
There are general newspapers, daily business newspapers to sports newspapers. Similarly,
there can be morning newspapers and afternoon/evening newspapers.
2. Magazines
Weekly, bi-weekly, fortnightly, monthly, quarterly, half yearly publication come under the
category of magazines. Usually, magazine contains more detailed reports, analysis,
photographs and illustrations on quality paper. Unlike newspaper which has a shelf life of 24
hours, a magazine can have a longer shelf life.
3. Books
Books of different genre offers wide variety of verbal content to its reader. It exists for
educational, instructional and entertainment purpose as well. The shift towards digital
content an E-books have declined its growth but it still holds is position as a disseminator of
information among the public.
3. Newsletters
Newsletters also form an important part of print media. These target a specific group of
audience and give information on a product, service or institution.
4. Brochures
Brochures give detailed information about the product. These are mainly distributed at events
or even at the main outlet when a consumer needs to read in detail about the product.
5. Posters
Posters are forms of outdoor advertising. The message in a poster has to be brief and eye
catching as it targets a person on the move.
Apart from these media, direct mail marketing, flyers, handbills/ leaflets, banner advertising,
billboard advertising, press releases etc are all the various types of print media.
Characteristics of Print Medium
One of the chief characteristics of print media is that they offer extensive news coverage and
in-depth treatment of themes. They provide a larger variety of coverage, through different
kinds of writings. People can read newspapers and magazines wherever and whenever it is
convenient to them- at home, in transit, in office or back at home in the evening. Once printed
and circulated, no alterations can be made to the printed material, which makes it necessary
for the publishers to cross check facts and figures before publishing. The print media have an
added advantage; ease and convenience in using them.
The main weakness of the print media is that they can be read only by the literates and their
number is still small in our country. Reading material consumes more time than viewing the
same things through images, it thus become a laborious and time-consuming effort. Often,
the printed material is prepared keeping in mind the average readers. Once printed. it does
not change as per the needs of less literate sections of society.

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2.

Types of Print Media

Characteristics of Print Medium

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