by Christine Maguire

Created on: May 27, 2008

News media refers to the means of transmitting news from an information source to the public. We live in a society where news is available from a number of sources, each with their own merits.
Television is perhaps the most accessible form of news media. Those who are not partial to reading are more likely to watch news on television. The images shown on screen make the news more realistic and easier to consume in comparison to large chunks of print. Many people have a habit of sitting down to watch the 6 o'clock news every single day without fail.

Today there are a lot more options. The invention of cable and digital television has brought with it multiple 24 hour news stations, which provide constant headlines and breaking news. Along with stories being reported in studio and footage of events happening around the world, there is a banner of headlines running along the bottom of the screen, so it is possible to get more than one news story at a time.

However this constant news content is often repetitive and focuses on the same stories. Considering the fact that there are 24 hours of space to fill, one wonders why they do not focus on a wider range of news stories.
There are also different channels dedicated to sports news and entertainment, such as Sky Sports and E. These also provide 24 hour coverage on these topics.

Newspapers are the original news media, and come in different forms. There are dailies, weeklies, Sunday editions, local, national and regional newspapers. They all report on different types of news, depending on their target audience. These are then further divided into tabloid and broadsheet. Traditionally tabloids are seen as the more sensational and biased form of newspaper, whereas broadsheets are more respected and impartial. This of course does not mean broadsheets are entirely unbiased.

This traditional from of news media has not died out with the invention of the internet, as feared by many. They have however had to adapt to changes in society, and have on-line editions of the newspaper, which give the same stories as found in the paper. In 1992, The Chicago Tribune launched the first online edition of a newspaper. Online editions provide people with constant news, where ever they are. Archives of past articles are also available online. Some newspapers such as the Irish Times, require a subscription fee to view the full articles.

A 2006 study by McKinsky showed that only 1% of participants chose magazines as a preferred channel of

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