The media in today’s society plays a very important role. There are two different kinds of media, written and non-written. Written media consists of newspapers and magazines. Non-written media consists of television and radio. These media’s differ in many ways. I am going to compare and contrast the two different types of media in today’s society.

Newspapers, which are a form of written media, come out daily. They inform us of everyday news and are the best way of finding out information in society. They inform us in many different aspects including the business world, sports, crime, and many other things. Local newspapers also provide information and knowledge pertaining to the environment around us. There are though some downsides to newspapers. First, only literate people can read this form of media limiting the rest of society to non-written media. Second, newspapers tend to add their own persuasive view on certain aspects. For example, the O.J. Simpson case. They can not include all the information about the case so they will add their views about the subject. Since the case went on for such a long period of time the information they can come up with daily is limited.

Magazines are another form of written media. This form of written media tends to come out weekly or monthly. They offer any and every topic a person would want to read about. Anything from sports to car audio to politics to home cooking. It is one of the most widespread forms of media. The only disadvantage magazines possess are when they come out. Usually a magazine has weekly issues but some do come out monthly. This means that they are a week behind most of the information in society or maybe even a month. That means that when it comes to keeping up with the news, sports and many other things, magazines do not offer the most recent news.

On the other hand, there is non-written media. This form of media such as television or radio has a lot to offer. The one advantage non-written media has over written is the fact that anyone and everyone can watch or listen.

One form of non-written media is television. Television covers almost every aspect in society but it the major advantage it has over written media is that it gives you a visual view as well. Not only to you find out the news but you also get to see it and hear it. That way a picture is already given to you and you don’t need to paint it for yourself if you read about it.

Another form of non-written media is radio. This is not as good a television because you are only hearing it. This though like television can have the newest of information out before any written media can. They can go on air the first they here the news.

Anyway you look at it, non-written media offers news faster than written media but the non-written media is used for the more intelligent people of society. Like Andrea R. Fishman puts it, “literacy is a force in the world -his world- and it is a force that imparts power to all who wield it.” (Fishman 244)

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