Broadcast Journalism Print Vs. Electronic Media

Broadcast Journalism Print vs. Electronic Media

Alyssia Morneur July 2006

The most obvious difference between print and electronic media is the way people retrieve the news. Print can be read at leisure in a busy waiting room or on a long bus ride. However, television and radio news may be more scheduled. Scripts for news anchors and reporters are written to get to the heart of a story without as much mention of details. In print the writer can incorporate specifics like some ones' full name and title, or a complete address when writing about a particular location. In a brief news segment a reporter wants to keep the audience interested without giving too many boring specifics. A journalist working for a television or radio network may do just as much probing and research as a writer for the news paper. Yet the journalist must present the news in a straight forward and unbiased fashion while a columnist has more freedom to express a certain view point on a particular topic. The motive of a reporter for radio is to inform or educate the public based on reliable information. A reporter has the tedious task of finding out what the people want to know and then delivering the news as an objective professional. Newspaper writers often chose to write about a particular story because they want to use print as a way to reach and influence their readers whether it be political or otherwise. Both types of journalists must base their findings from sound sources. However, a columnist may manipulate the presentation of info to reflect their own opinion or one accepted by the paper they write for. The only time electronic media can manipulate the truth to illicit a certain way of thinking, is by leaving out details that would otherwise fully illustrate what really took place. Another form of deception used in electronic media is footage that can be edited to imply a more severe scenario.

Some less obvious differences between print and electronic media are the education requirements as well as the pay scale and career demand for each. A columnist is employed by a magazine or news paper. Their annual salary might range anywhere from $20,000.