Why Is Traditional Media Outlets Embracing New Information?
News headlines provide a perspective on a specific issue, event, or trend. Examples of newsworthy information are news stories on political events, sports, business, and weather. Examples of non-newsworthy information are opinion columns, gossip, and political campaign speech. These news stories and opinions in turn influence the public through print, broadcast, and online outlets.
The six major types of news outlets include television, radio, wire, newspapers, magazines, and community newspapers. These different types of outlets cover a broad spectrum of topics and provide for a diverse source of information. In this study, the six major categories of news outlets are discussed and the characteristics and sources of each type of outlet are examined.
Television – The most visible outlet of news, television provides the broadest range of news and current affairs coverage. Some of the most popular programs on television include “Today Show,” “Saturday Night Live,” “The Daily Show,” Comedy Show.” Most cable and satellite television providers to offer television channels dedicated to a variety of segments. Most television news outlets also provide one-on-one hosting and reporting by reporters and correspondents. In addition, many television news shows air live at times on some of their channels.
Radio – The most widely distributed outlet of news, radio features a wide range of topics and stories. A number of popular national talk radio hosts and talk show hosts have gained large audiences since their inception. The majority of radio stations focus on one or few major storylines, with a number of them providing a daily report on local and national politics, which may not be as well-known to the general public as do the daytime and evening news shows on local television stations. In addition to discussing current affairs, many radio outlets discuss entertainment, travel, technology, and business.
Newspapers and Magazines – All news organizations publish a version of their business section each week or every other week. While a number of news agencies now publish online news, they continue to distribute hard copy versions of their publications on a weekly basis. Many newspapers and magazines are based in the nation’s largest cities or in a handful of key cities. A number of country newspapers, such as the New York Times, are published solely in the New York metropolitan area and provide breaking news throughout the country on a daily basis.
Talk Shows – Similar to local television news shows, talk shows are increasingly being presented on new media outlets. As traditional media has become more competitive, new media outlets are attempting to be unique by offering a unique perspective on certain issues and topical issues that appeal to their audience. One example is the talk show “The Cats of Assissi” on Comedy Central, which has gained much popularity due to a recent surge of interest in the ancient Roman civilization.
Videos – With the advent of portable video devices, viewers have grown accustomed to being able to view news reports while they’re on the go. For this reason, many news outlets have posted short video clips on their websites or sent them out to various cable, satellite, or digital outlets for viewer enjoyment. Some examples of these video clips include news bites, nature footage, and family clips. Many of these videos are posted daily or weekly for consumers who are unable to wait for their morning newspaper or magazine.
While this brief list illustrates the diverse ways in which new information is being offered by traditional media outlets, there are still a number of ways in which this new type of news is being disseminated. News organizations are often using social networks and independent bloggers to generate buzz around stories. Blogs are also commonly used to promote stories and provide information to readers on specific topics. Readers are often left with the feeling that they’ve been reading a story based on reader feedback. While this can’t be said for traditional media outlets, it is quickly becoming the norm. As new information emerges from local government meetings, the state budget cuts, terrorist attacks, natural disasters, and other major events occurring around the country, the push toward news distribution is increasing.