Media meaning types

Meaning

The term media, which is the plural of medium, refers to the communication channels
through which we disseminate news, music, movies, education, promotional messages and
other data. It includes physical and online newspapers and magazines, television, radio,
billboards, telephone, the Internet, fax and billboards.

It describes the various ways through which we communicate in society. Because it refers
to all means of communication, everything ranging from a telephone call to the evening
news on television can be called media.

When talking about reaching a very large number of people we say mass media. Local
media refers to, for example, your local newspaper, or local/regional TV/radio channels.

Types of Media

When it comes to the different forms of media, there are varied formats of modern media such as print
media (newspapers, books, magazines), broadcast media (television, radio), digital media (internet) as
well as video games, music, cell phones, films, amongst others.

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Various form of Media

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Media simply refers to a vehicle or means of message delivery system to carry an ad message to a
targeted audience. Media like TV, Radio, Print, Outdoor and Internet are instruments to convey an
advertising message to the public.

Types of Media / Media Classification

Media can be classified into four types:

Print Media (Newspapers, Magazines)

Broadcast Media (TV, Radio)

Outdoor or Out of Home (OOH)

Media Internet

Print Media

Newspaper

Newspaper is a major source of information for a large number of readers. It may be National or local,
daily or weekly newspaper. Newspapers allow presentation of detailed messages which can be read at
reader’s conveyance. It allows prompt delivery of detailed coverage of news and other information with
interesting features for readers. It is a high involvement media as readers are required to devote some
effort in reading the message. It is available to masses at a very low cost.

Classification of Newspapers

National Newspapers

Daily newspapers (Local/Regional)

Special Audience newspapers

Magazines

A Magazine is a specialized advertising media that serves educational, informational, entertainment and
other specialized needs of consumers, businesses, and industries. A Magazine allows presentation of a
detailed ad message along with photos, illustrations, colours etc. It is a high involvement media as
readers pay a premium price for it and magazines are not dumped after reading. Magazines can be
classified into Local/Regional/National or Weekly/Monthly/Quarterly Magazines.

Types of Magazines

Consumer magazines:

Magazines bought by general public for information and entertainment. It can be used to reach a
specific target audience. It may be a:

General Interest Magazine

Glamour Magazine

Film Magazine

Special Interest Magazine

Women Lifestyle Magazine

Business Publications:

Business magazines includes publications such as trade journals for businesses, industries or
occupations. It may be published weekly monthly or quarterly. Generally, readership includes business
managers and executives, businessmen, business students etc. It may be categorized into:

Business Publications

Professional Publications

Trade Journals

Industrial and Institutional Publications

Broadcast Media

Television Advertising

TV is a principal source of information and entertainment for people exposed to mass media. It is
believed to be the most authoritative, influential, exciting medium for reaching very large audience. It
combines visual images, sound, motion and colour to achieve viewer’s empathy. It allows development
of creative and imaginative ad messages in a unique way. It is considered intrusive in nature as the
audience have no control over the nature and pace of advertisements.

Radio is a premier mass medium for users and advertisers. It has a wide spread reach. It delivers the ad
message to a large number of people across the length and breadth of a country. Commercial
broadcasting is undertaken in major cities even rural areas. Radio time in India is usually sold in slots of
7, 10, 15, 20 or 30 seconds. It is one of the most personal medium and offers selectivity, cost efficiency
and flexibility advantages over other media. Efficiency of a radio ad depends upon the precision of
script, accompanying sounds and level of distortion

Support Media

Outdoor advertising

It is usually used as a supportive medium by advertisers. It includes bill boards, boarding, neon signs
posters etc. It can generate considerable reach and frequency level at low cost. Useful when introducing
a new product. Helps to remind the customers. Helps to generate sales at point of purchase/point of
sale.

Transit Advertising

Uses billboards, neon signs and electronic messages. It is targeted at users of various modes of
transportation. Advertising rates depend on the amount of traffic which passes every day.
Cinema and Video Advertising

Cinema is a popular source of entertainment comprising of audience from all classes and socio-
economic groups of society. Films are watched by a significant number of people everyday. It involves
use of cinema halls and video tapes to deliver the ad message. Commercials are shown before films and
previews carrying ad message. Advertisers may prepare a presentation for projection or 35mm ad films
based on a script. Similar to TV, it also combines sight, sound, colour and movement to deliver a creative
message. Video rentals include messages by local advertisers. Advertisement can also be displayed by
cable operators.

Internet

Internet is a worldwide medium that provides means of exchanging information through a series of
interconnected computers. It is a rapidly growing medium of advertising. It is a future medium which
offers limitless advertising opportunities. It involves use of world wide web to showcase a website or e-
commerce portal to the world.

Advertising through internet involves email marketing, social media marketing, online ads and mobile
marketing. It provides a sophisticated graphic user interface to users. It is accessible to anyone with a
computer and broadband connection.

History and development of media in India

History of mass media in India can be traced back to the late 18th century when the first newspaper, The
Bengal Gazette, was published in 1780 by James Augustus Hickey. However, it was only in the 19 th
century that the mass media gained significant momentum with the introduction of the printing press
and the increasing literacy rates among the people.

During the British colonial period, newspapers played a crucial role in disseminating information and
shaping public opinion. The first Indian language newspaper, Samachar Darpan, was published in Bengali
in 1818. In 1857, during the Indian Rebellion, newspapers played a critical role in spreading news and
views among the masses.

The 20th century saw the emergence of new forms of mass media such as radio, cinema, and television.
Radio broadcasting started in India in 1927 with the establishment of the Indian Broadcasting Company.
The All India Radio (AIR) was established in 1936 and it became the main source of information and
entertainment for the masses. Cinema, too, became a popular form of mass media, with the first Indian
feature film, Raja Harishchandra, being released in 1913. Television broadcasting began in India in 1959
with the launch of Doordarshan.
In the post-independence period, mass media in India underwent significant changes with the
emergence of private media companies and the liberalization of the media industry. The 1990s saw the
emergence of satellite television, which brought in a new era of 24-hour news channels and
entertainment channels. The rise of the internet and social media in the 21 st century has further
transformed the mass media landscape in India, with online news portals and social networking sites
becoming popular sources of information and communication.

Today, mass media in India is a diverse and vibrant industry, with a large number of newspapers,
magazines, radio stations, television channels, and online media outlets catering to different segments
of the population.

Indian Media consist of several different types of communications: television, radio, cinema,
newspapers, magazines, and Internet-based Web sites/portals. Indian media was active since the late
18th century with print media started in 1780, radio broadcasting initiated in 1927, and the screening of
Auguste and Louis Lumière moving pictures in Bombay initiated during the July of 1895. It is among the
oldest and largest media of the world. Media in India has been free and independent throughout most
of its history, even before establishment of Indian empire by Ashoka the Great on the foundation of
righteousness, openness, morality and spirituality. The period of emergency (1975–1977), declared by
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, was the brief period when India’s media was faced with potential
government retribution.

Media Laws in india

Mass Media systems of the world vary from each other according to the economy, polity, religion and
culture of different societies. In societies, which followed communism and totalitarianism, like the
former USSR and China, there were limitations of what the media could say about the government.
Almost everything that was said against the State was censored for fear of revolutions. On the other
hand, in countries like USA, which have a Bourgeois Democracy, almost everything is allowed.

Shifting our view to the Indian perspective and its system of Parliamentary Democracy, it is true that,
the Press is free but subject to certain reasonable restrictions imposed by the Constitution of India,
1950, as amended (“Constitution”). Before the impact of globalization was felt, the mass media was
wholly controlled by the government, which let the media project only what the government wanted
the public to see and in a way in which it wanted the public to see it. However, with the onset of
globalization and privatization, the situation has undergone a humongous change.

Before the invention of communication satellites, communication was mainly in the form of national
media, both public and private, in India and abroad. Then came ‘transnational media’ with the progress
of communication technologies like Satellite delivery and ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network), the
outcome: local TV, global films and global information systems.

Since, India’s media regulations have a lengthy history and are firmly entrenched in the colonial
experience; therefore, for the easy understanding, I will discuss the historical background into two
parts:-
 (1) Pre-Independence Era
Through the ‘Proclamation of Queen Victoria (1858)’, the colonial rule firmly established itself in India
and the concept of liberty of press completely ceased to exist. The ‘Kautilya Arthashastra’ and ‘Waqaya
Navis’ were previously referred to for regulating the circulation of information about state affairs. There
was no concept of pre-censorship or licensing of press information before the colonial laws were
imposed. The ‘Bengal Gazette’ was the first typographic press in India, started by J. A. Hickey in 1780. It
exposed the injustice committed by the E.I.C. on Indians. It soon went into flames through media
regulations imposing hefty fines and imprisonment to Hickey.

The ‘Madras Courier’ was the first press in Madras that scrutinized the military actions of the colonial
rulers and became the first press to be suppressed by a Pre-Censorship Rule (1795), where all their
publications were sent for inspection before publishing. The infringement of this new law resulted in the
deportation of the publishers of the press. However, in 1818 the pre-censorship laws were completely
abolished due to aristocratic pressure on the colonial rulers. This led to the emergence of ‘Samachar
Darpan’ carrying news in both Bengali and English. In 1823, a new regulation was circulated restricting
connections of any servants of the Crown with any press. It also gave ownership of the press to the
Council of Governor entirely.

The ‘Metcalfe Act, 1830’ was enacted as full-fledged law for controlling the printing and publishing of
newspapers within the territory of colonial India. This was later replaced by the Indian Penal Code, 1860
after the ‘Revolt of 1857’ happened. Defamation became a punishable offense and was imposed on
almost every writer, editor, or publisher of the Indian press who circulated the information of the Indian
Independence Movements. The ‘Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867’ was also enacted to regulate
the press periodically. This law is still in force. In 1870, the ‘Sedition law’ was enforced through IPC
Section 124-A which sent various freedom fighters and Indian journalists of ‘Swarajya Pess’ into illegal
detentions. Freedom of the press was again curbed.

The ‘Vernacular Press Act, 1878’ was enacted to curb the Indian language press. It empowered colonial
police authorities to forfeit, suppress, or confiscate any news material during the pre-censorship
scrutiny of the media content. The press had no right to approach any Court of Law for the injustice. The
‘Indian Telegraph Act, 1885’ was enacted to empower the colonial government for granting licenses to
all kinds of press before its circulation. This was enforced with the ‘Indian Post Office Act, 1898’ and the
‘Sea Customs Act’ which empowered colonial officials to restrict transportation, imports, and exports of
media content. This era was witnessing the prime of press restrictions since the colonial rule had begun.
The ‘Newspapers (Incitement of Offences) Act, 1908’ and the ‘Press Act, 1910’ conferred
powers on the colonial authorities to confiscate and take action against editors of any vernacular
press who published anything in favor of the ‘Swadeshi Movement’. Additionally, the ‘Official
Secrets Act, 1923’ was enacted which declared the publishing of state affairs as wrongful
communication of information. There was a huge turn of the tide in 1930 when Civil
Disobedience Movement gave strength to millions of Indian journalists and freedom fighters.
The ‘Indian Press (Emergency Powers) Act, 1931’ was enacted which made participation in the
movement through print media a punishable offense.

The ‘Foreign Relations Act, 1932’ was enacted to restrict and punish publication of any
information causing prejudice to cordial relations between the British Crown and other foreign
states. Circulation of information outside of colonial India was hence controlled as far as
possible.

(2) Post Independence Era

The Indian National Congress came to power in 1947, declaring India an independent state.
The ‘Press Law Enquiry Committee, 1947’ was set up to examine and give recommendations on
the existing media law. The ‘Indian Press (Emergency Powers) Act, 1931’ and ‘Foreign
Relations Act, 1932’ were repealed, and modifications were made to Section 124-A of IPC. The
‘Telegraph Act, 1885’ and ‘Post Office Act, 1898’ were amended. The ‘Press (Objectionable
Matters) Act, 1951’ was enacted to control the press moderately, but it was repealed in 1957.
The ‘Press Commission of India, 1952’ was established which led to the development of
the ‘Press Council of India’.

The ‘Press Trust of India, 1949’ was established by the Indian and Eastern Newspaper Society
to form independent news agencies. The ‘Newspaper (Price and Page) Act, 1956’ was enacted
to prevent unfair competition through price regulations on the press. The newspaper could not
increase its volume of publication without raising its price. The Supreme Court declared it
unconstitutional in the landmark judgment of Sakal Papers vs Union of India [AIR 1962 SC
305]. It held that the government could only impose indirect restrictions on the freedom of the
press on the grounds under Article 19(2).

However, this freedom of the press was short-lived. In June 1975, the National Emergency was
proclaimed leading to the introduction of censorship laws in independent India. The ‘Prevention
of Publication of Objectionable Matter Act, 1976’, the ‘Parliamentary Proceedings (Protection
of Publication) Repeal Act, 1976’, and the ‘Press Council (Repeal) Act, 1976’ were enacted to
deny press the access to justice by the procedure established by law against their illegal
detentions. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting monitored almost every press
publication and penalized journalists accordingly. In 1977, the national emergency was lifted and
there was moderate regulation on the press in India.
 (3) Present Position of Media Law in India
The freedom of the press is guaranteed under the Preamble of the Constitution of India
as ‘Liberty of thoughts and expressions’ read with Article 19(1) (a) of the Part 3rd. It is subject
to reasonable restrictions only on the grounds provided under Article 19(2). Various landmark
judgments have highlighted the freedom of the press as a fundamental part of our democracy; a
few of them are as follows:

Grounds of Restriction
1. Romesh Thappar vs State of Madras [AIR 1950 SC 124]
The Court struck down a provision of the Madras Maintenance of Public Order Act, 1949 which
imposed a ban on the circulation of petitioner’s news journals for securing public order. It held
that the right to free speech of the press is fundamental and cannot be curtailed on any other
ground apart from those under Article 19(2).
2. Brij Bhushan vs State of Delhi [AIR 1950 SC 129]
Certain provisions of the East Punjab Safety Act, 1949 authorized restrictions on freedom of the
press on grounds of maintaining public order which was not a part of Article 19(2). The Court
held it to be unconstitutional and quashed the pre-censorship order passed against the petitioner’s
newspaper.

Right to Circulation
Benette Coleman & Co. vs Union of India [AIR 1973 SC 106]

The constitutional validity of the Newspaper (Price and Page) Act, 1956 was challenged on the
grounds that the curtailment of the advertisement space in the newspaper incurred losses for the
press and directly impacted Article 19(1) (a). Restrictions on advertising income resulted in less
circulation of the newspaper, causing harm to the freedom of the press. The Court held that
freedom of the press also included the freedom to determine the prices, pages, and circulation of
the newspaper.

Right to Criticise
Kedar Nath Singh vs State of Bihar [AIR 1962 SC 955]

The Court observed that the strongly-worded criticism of any government action does not invite
penalty under Section 124-A of IPC, and would be treated as consisting of the freedom of the
press under Article 19(1).

Right to Conduct Interviews

Prabha Dutta vs Union of India [(1982) 1 SCC 1]
The Court held that the right to interview by the press can be refused by government authorities
after providing undisputable reasons which ought to be recorded in writing. The petitioner was
seeking an interview of prisoners which was denied by the Jail Superintendent on valid grounds
under the Manual for the Superintendence and Management of Jails.

Reporting of Court Proceedings

1. Kartar Singh v. State of Punjab [(1994) 3 SCC 569]
The court held that the right to report court proceedings was an inherent right under the freedom
of the press. It assists in increasing public knowledge and functioning of the legal system within
the country.
2. Naresh Shridhar Mirajkar v. State of Maharashtra [AIR 1967 SC 1]
The court ratified the Kartar Singh judgment and held that the publicity of proceedings was not
an absolute right under freedom of the press. The concerned court of law has the discretion to
restrict the publicity of the proceedings in the interest of justice. Those cases where proceedings
in open court would defeat the purpose of justice can be restricted from being publicly reported
by the press.