Knowing the different media

EVERY day we get a lot of news and information from people talking about the hot issues inside and outside the country. Despite our busy schedules we manage to listen and watch timely news. News and information is part of our everyday life.

Through the print, TV, and radio we know the everyday life of others. We know the lifestyle of famous people, the victories of Filipino athletes in national and international and international competitions, tragedies, and stories of ordinary people who stand out for one reason or another.

Just recently, however, I learned that TV and radio is somewhat similar to each other. People who listen to radio or watch TV do so with only half their attention. Maybe they do listen but there are times when aside from listening they are also doing other things. The two media, while similar are still different because TV has visual and pictures while radio relies only on the sound. The challenge for the TV then is to make sure the videos are able to capture the attention of the audience, not just what is being read, so that the viewers will stop and watch. On radio, the focus is on voice clarity, to be best understood, since the listener cannot review what has been said.

The print delivers the news in the inverted pyramid style, the basic format of news writing. The top part being the most important, and the bottom, the least important. Unlike the radio and TV, print can allot more space for all the 5Ws and 1H (who, what, where, why and how). (Jennilyn S Morcillo, IV-Ponce)