The Press as a Means Advertising in Century - Essay Example

Discuss the claim that the Press in the 20th Century became a Medium of Advertising, whereas the Press was Free in the 19th Century. With the changing trends in advertising, marketing and public relations, nearly all spheres of life have been amended. This is because there is just so much going on in the name of consumerism and its attached ten other movements that advertising seems to be the buzzword everywhere. Coming closely to the quarters of the press which is mingling with the advertising regimes and the advertisers in particular, it makes all the more significance that the newspapers and magazines get more and more advertisements so that their budgets are controlled in an automated way and also so that the employees working under the aegis of the press get salaries and perks from time to time. However what is currently the case has never been like the one which used to be so in the 19th century. The press of modern times relies more on placing the advertisements rather than giving the readers something to read about. In other words, it is more interested in propagating advertisements than the news and reports on which the readers are focused. There is now an aspect of compromise when it comes to putting a news report and the newspaper editor thinks of placing an advertisement on the specified place for the report so that he could earn more and bring more revenues for his newspaper or magazine. This means that the unethical attitudes are pretty much apparent in the whole contexts of press and these need to be adjusted in a manner which could balance the benefits as well as make the news reports and analyzes visible in between the pages of the newspaper or magazine. With the advent of advertising trends with expensive placements in between the pages and inserts coming into the whole equation, visibility of these advertisements is a significant feature of their placement. Thus there is a greater amount of concentration as far as these advertisements are concerned when one compares the same with the case that was applicable in the 19th century. Back in those days, press used to be fair, without the tension of placing any advertisements or paid notices. But now the case has totally changed since the press is bent upon making more money out of their media vehicle and thus it knows it can play with its advertising strategies and exploitation means in order to usurp money and the like from the advertisers but what it forgets at the end of the day is that the readers generally do not appreciate these efforts. It is also a fact that the routine stuff is absorbed in a manner by the readers so that they become used to the very same kind of placements of advertisements and thus with the passage of time they become prone to the whole issue and forget their most basic right – they are paying for the news and not for seeing irrelevant advertisements which have got nothing to do with them or their undertakings. The reason as to why the press was deemed as free in the 19th century was due to the fact that there was less technological advancement in the related ranks and thus the readers knew less about the world in which they lived. With the coming in of television, radio, out door billboards, out of the box advertising tactics and styles, press has taken a turn for its own betterment – one which entices the aspect of glamour and sex appeal. A half naked girl on the front page of a tabloid would ask for more sale of the paper as compared to a traditional newspaper full of city news. People would flock to watch a glimpse of the photograph and perhaps even try out the product that is being sold through the very advertisement. However they would not care to buy the traditional newspaper which gives them more news and reports and which costs lesser than the tabloid full of sensationalism, advertisements and attractive photographs and pictures. Thus the changing times have made sure that the priorities of people and more specifically the readers have changed which is a sad fact so to speak. In essence, the sale of newspapers and magazines is now limited to glossy news bits and pictures, stylistic designs and colorful templates but one must remember that the underlying feature or duty of the press is to inform, not excite without a mere reason. The times have surely changed. The press used to be a reliable medium back in the 19th century. Now it is taken as an expensive commodity where the wants have become needs for the advertisers and the management concerns of the newspapers and magazines. They are now competing aggressively with the television, radio and out door companies and there is reason to believe that it will sustain for a considerable period of time within the future as well. (Curran & Seaton, 1997) One aspect that makes its round within the relevant quarters is the fact that power must contain the regimes of responsibility within it since the lack of the same could mean trouble for one and all. Also censor policies could not be kept away from the whole discussion since ethical norms and procedures have to be followed no matter how liberal a society or government turns to be. In the end, it would be wise to suggest that the press should come to its glorious past and look to inform more than anything else. It would do a community service if it keeps away from the advertising avenues and focuses more on the primary job of news reporting and informing to the different publics within a society, area or region for that matter. All said and done, it is a fact that the press of yesteryears was much better than is the case in the present times. Not only has advertising changed its stance but also the fact that people’s attitudes have changed with so much money coming in that one cannot turn his face out of it. What is needed at the moment are sound policies and a better balance all round. Bibliography Curran J. and Seaton J. (1997) Power without Responsibility. Routledge Word Count: 1,038 Read More