Introduction
In the past ten years, there has been an increase in the number of people who consume digital media content across the world. More people find it easy to interact and access different news, business, and entertainment content through various digital media platforms.
Digital media can be defined as media platforms which are based on the internet, which enable users to share their views and opinions with content distributors. Some of the most widely digital media platforms include blogs, social networking websites, video sharing websites, and popular interactive websites. This essay will discuss the impacts of digital media on television.
Discussion
For many years, television was the most popular broadcasting medium in the world. It is used to relay news, entertainment, sports and other feature programs which appeal to different viewers. The popularity of television reached its peak in the latter years of the 20th century because it allowed people to congregate in the same location to watch programs that appealed to their interests.
This has made it a key part of modern lifestyles because it exposed people to new cultures and ways of life. Also, television became intertwined with urban lifestyles, which encouraged people to be more liberal in their self-expression (Healey, 2011, p. 61).
However, the rapid growth of the internet has led to the development of digital media which enable people to interact and share their experiences through online platforms. As a result, this has reduced the popularity of television as the most captivating medium of communication.
The growth of digital media has resulted in a reduction in the amount of time people spend on viewing television. As a result, more people prefer to interact through social networking websites to share different stories, jokes, pictures, videos and other interesting multimedia content with their friends. Therefore, this has significantly reduced the amount of time young people spend watching TV programs on any given day (Healey, 2011, p. 67).
This shows that digital media have become more popular because of high levels of interactions and exchanges between different users. This shows that how people consume different types of media content will continue to evolve and this will change the relevance of television and other traditional media.
Media formats are becoming more personalized to reflect the individualistic tendencies of people in many modern societies. Many young people prefer to browse through media content on their computers, smartphones and electronic tablets to keep themselves updated.
The popularity of digital media is also because it enables convergence of written, audio and visual aspects of communication. They offer more convenience to users because they allow real-time updates to be made to ensure media consumers stay informed on various changes that have happened to a particular story.
Since users can view different audiovisual content on their electronic devices, they prefer using them to access different types of audiovisual content before they are even broadcasted on television (Glen & Royston, 2008, p. 71).
As a result, they can access timely information even when they are in locations where they cannot watch television. This shows digital technologies serve as viable alternatives to television because they have multiple features which improve the overall experiences of their users.
More advertisers prefer to use personalized marketing approaches through digital platforms to make a positive impact on their target audiences. As a result, this has reduced the number of adverts which are carried through television. Since digital media are cheaper and more direct, advertisers can make a positive impression to customers regarding different products and services they are marketing.
Even though digital advertising has not reduced the number of adverts that are aired on television and other traditional media, it has enabled companies to engage new audiences.
Consequently, more companies have realized that they need to establish important networks with their prospective target customers through different media platforms to appeal to broad market segments (Evans, 2009, p. 41). This shows the waning influence of television as an advertising medium due to the commercialization of digital media by advertising companies.
The increase in the number of people using mobile phones has made it possible for digital media technologies to become more widespread in different places. The number of people that own smartphones have increased significantly in the last five years.
One of the most notable factors that have contributed to the widespread usage of smartphones is their reliability and high-quality features which enable users to utilize different applications for various purposes. An increasing number of people prefer to use their smartphones to view and respond to emails, share videos, watch news and comment on various issues that interest them.
Also, there is a lot of content which is customized for smartphone users, which allows them to keep themselves updated on different issues that are happening. As a result, this has reduced the number of people who watch television programs because they can access information in different formats on their mobile handsets (Murphy, 2011, p. 89).
The rise of citizen journalism where various people contribute news stories, videos, and photos on online news portals has changed how people access different types of content. As a result, people can provide links on their social network pages which other users can access to keep updated on what is going on.
Online news portals also rely on social networking sites to break news stories regarding different events that are taking places (Hutchins & Rowe, 2012, p. 112). In many instances, news breaks on social networks first before it is broadcasted by mainstream television stations.
As a result, this has made more people prefer using digital media to get timely updates on various events that are happening in their societies and beyond. This has significantly reduced the number of people who rely on television to get breaking news for various incidents that occur in different places.
Conclusion
In conclusion, digital media platforms have changed how people consume different types of content. Since they allow users to share their ideas about various items that are publicized on blogs, social networks, and video sharing platforms, they appeal to larger audiences than television.
Also, the integration of various media formats on digital media has made it possible for internet users to access news, videos, and entertainment features using their smartphones, tablets, and computers.
This allows people to access important content even when they are in remote locations, and this confirms digital media platforms are more reliable than television and other traditional media. As a result, their popularity has reduced the amount of time people allocate to watching television in different places.
References
Evans, D. S. (2009). The online advertising industry: Economics, evolution, and privacy. The Journal of Economic Perspectives, 23 (3), 37-60.
Glen, C., & Royston, M. (2008). Digital culture: Understanding new media. New York: McGraw Hill.
Healey, J. (2011). Social impacts of digital media. Sydney, NSW: Spinney Press.
Hutchins, B., & Rowe, D. (2012).Sport beyond television: The internet, digital media and the rise of networked media sport. New York, NY: Routledge.
Murphy, S.C. (2011). How television invented new media. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.