Introduction
Media has been in the forefront as far as communication is concerned for many years. Early inventors printed the first page ever more than five centuries ago. Since then, technological innovations have greatly improved printed and electronic media.
Through the media, informing news, entertainment, education and even advertisement information gets to circulate in various global areas. Due to the dynamism of the media, many institutions have raised the question of the future of the media. With the improvement of technology, the future of the media seems bright. This may change our lifestyle magnificently.
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With the ever improving technology, fast and sophisticated printing machines, there will be a rise in the number of newspapers and magazines printed daily in many countries. More newspaper companies will emerge and make competition much stiffer. This will result in improvement of quality of newspapers and magazines. Additionally, with the ever-improving transport systems, circulation of newspapers will reach even the remotest part of the world within the next decade.
Many countries will offer free newspapers as a way of promoting information sharing. There will be more free e-newspapers in the Internet thus reducing paper works in media institutions as well as in the public. This will eventually disfavor the betterment of our environment due to poor disposals of papers.
On the other hand, the availability of online newspapers and magazines will drastically reduce the circulation of printed media. More people will stop subscribing to the print editions and will be downloading newspapers straight from their smart-phones and I-pads. This will reduce the circulation of newspaper, since more eco-friendly laptops will be accessible. Printed newspapers will be left for the low-income earners with little access to the Internet.
Ten years will see full transition of radio broadcasting from analog to digital broadcasting in all parts of the globe. In addition, with globalization, most channels will broadcast internationally. With examples of CNN and BBC setting the pace, other radio companies will follow suit. Moreover, many individuals will own radio sets around the globe.
The mobile industry will steer radio development as they have already incorporated radio as a feature in most phones. Furthermore, as media converges with computer technology, online radio will be available to more people in the world as more people have access to the Internet.
The common radio sets will still be part of our culture later, as some people will be too busy to watch television especially while driving. In addition, people will have a variety of radio stations to choose from, since more entrepreneurs will venture in radio businesses. This has been the trend since long ago and there are no otherwise indications. This will eventually enhance competitions that will in turn improve the quality of radio programming (Keith, 2009).
On the other hand, sound has seen so much evolution since the invention of the phonograph. Now, people are able to record sound digitally as opposed to the earlier times where sound recording was cumbersome and purely mechanical. With the introduction of digital sound recording gadgets such as the i-pod, it will be much easier to record and play-back sound in the future.
Together with the invention of sound recording software, people will not need the physical gadgets such as the compact disks but will be recording sound directly into the computer. Just as the tapes are becoming obsolete gradually, examples of flash discs and memory cards will replace the CDs and DVDs completely in the near future.
Moreover, the media will still have effects on individuals in the future. The media, through its programming, advertising and music will affect people’s culture by promoting new products and services. In addition, the news broadcasts will influence how individuals interact with one another. Radio will provide a platform for social interactions, since, there will be more one-on-one debates via telephones and social networking sites such as facebook and twitter (Schultz, Barnes, & Schultz, 2009).
Since more people will have access to media, advertisement costs will reduce, and more individuals will advertise their products and services as compared to the present. This will in turn improve their businesses largely.
Moreover, the media will be a very useful political tool. As newspapers and radio will be more accessible to people, they will be acquainted with their rights. The media will extensively promote freedom of expression and people will more comfortably air their views. As a result, it will be difficult for politicians to manipulate them.
Besides, politicians will extensively use the media in campaigns, and this will in turn promote democracy and reduce corruption. In addition, the media will connect people and their governments across the globe enlightening people of governments’ policies and governments’ activities behind the scenes.
Besides, with the advancement in technology, the media will extend its function as an employment opportunity and provide work for many individuals.
Firstly, due to media accessibility, more companies will advertise job vacancies in the media. On the other hand, individuals will advertise their skills and qualifications through media. Thus, the media will act as a link between more employers and employees. With the ongoing globalization process, the media will employ more people as journalists, editors and researchers among others.
Conclusion
The media have played a vital role in influencing our cultural lifestyles over the years. This has been through various advertisings, information propagation and social interactions. With the improvement in technology, the media will still affect our global society even in the future. Media functionality will improve with it having other new function to meet the needs of the future man. Along the way, some media will become obsolete and will be replaced by newer and more effective versions, thereby enhancing their usage.
References
Keith, M. (2009). The Radio Station: Broadcasts, Satellites and Internet. Oxford, OX: Focal Press Ltd.
Schultz, D., Barnes, B. & Keith, H. (2009). Building Customer-brand Relationships. M.E. Sharpe Inc., NY: New York.