Media are the main communication channels or tools utilized to deliver and store data or information. The word denotes various units of the mass media communication system, including the print media, television, radio, photography, film, publishing, and visual arts. Such media are grouped according to their general composition. They are categorized further on the basis of their intended purpose, target audience, and production. These categories are:
Hard drives are portable memory devices that may be used for electronic data storage. Media used in hard drives include CD ROM, DVD Writer, DVD+R, Wii disk, Zip drive, FD tape, PC diskette, Zip drive plus others. Mobile phone networks such as GPRS and CDMA allow easy access to the content stored on a hard drive. Radio and TV media are transmitted via signals on analog and digital channels, as well as cable and satellite networks, by means of broadcasting equipment and receivers.
Video and photography can be used for the purpose of entertainment and also for the creation of news. Film is one of the most popular multimedia systems used in the production of news, documentaries, and films. Digital video cameras are an important part of the electronic media used in television news as they enable recording of events without the need for film equipment.
Electronic and print media are broadly categorized as Newspapers, Magazines, Textile papers, Book magazines, T.V. and Radio or Television news. With the advent of computers and laptops, T.V. and books can be distributed easily to a large audience base.
Entertainment industry has an interesting segment of its own. Video and Animation industries are witnessing a significant rise due to digitalization of content and animation. Film and TV shows, music videos, advertising campaigns, live shows, theme parks, amusement parks, live performances, computer games, and cartoons form the entertainment business. As it is a multi-billion dollar sector, the media business is highly competitive and growing at a phenomenal rate. This sector has a major impact on the economy of countries, causing economic growth and employment generation.
Communication is a multi-faceted medium that includes television, radio, telephones and the internet. All these forms of media are being developed and evolving rapidly to cater to the ever increasing demands of the consumers. The media players are constantly looking for innovative and advanced ways of delivering content to their customers. It is obvious that media has changed from being a simple communications tool to a highly complex entity consisting of different types of media interacting with each other.