Media

Media: viewers, business, reporters, the news media| advertisers

quảng cáo: advertisement(s)/advertising/commercial(s)/advert(s) kəˈmɜː.ʃ^əl >> such activities
on TV/television/the small screen
phát sóng: broadcast/televise/show/screen events/discussions/game shows
chương trình: a live broadcast/show/programme
nhà đài: a local television station/network/producer >> the media/the mass media


Viewers/Audience (cách dùng lạ)

Viewers: Fashionable products admired by their peers

Another main strategy adopted by advertisers is to associate products with lifestyles that are attractive to young people and deliver a strong message that the advertised products are what their peers want and will choose. Children are more concerned with a particular label and branded products than adults, for the simple reason that they are much less price sensitive. They have the desire to possess products they consider popular, fashionable and likely to be admired by their peers, but seldom take into consideration the functions and practical values of those products.

>> advertised products are considered fashionable >>  far less price sensitive

adolescents are less vulnerable to misleading information

When the negative impacts of advertising on children are acknowledged, it should be noted that as children grow up, they will make more sophisticated judgements about those tactics advertisers use to grab their attention. They are less receptive to|tolerant of|accessible to advertising messages and meanwhile more likely to perceive advertising as a mere source of information, assisting them to learn products and services better. Meanwhile, some advertisements are non-commercial and provide information on such issues as anti-smoking, anti-drug, AIDS, healthy eating practices, and so forth. In this sense, it is premature to judge that advertising has no redeeming feature|advantage|strength.

>> provide consumers with adequate and accurate information ><  merely promotes products that are most likely to satisfy consumers’ wants|desires|will(s)

It is important to recognise that one of the key functions of advertising is to supply consumers with adequate and accurate information about all of the alternatives available to them. Every now and then, advertising is criticised on the ground that it can manipulate|influence consumers to follow the will of the advertiser; however, evidence supports an opposing view that advertising merely promotes products that are most likely to satisfy consumers’ wants. In simple|plain terms, it is consumers rather than advertisers who decide what are advertised.

>> the ability to consume rests significantly on the disposable income an individual possesses

By tempting|alluring|enticing messages and persuasive arguments, advertising can draw the attention of the audience, but not necessarily stimulate the sales. It is clear that consumers rarely rely on advertising as a single source of information before deciding what to buy. Instead, they use multiple|various|numerous information sources that are complementary, such as family, friends, inspections|assessments|observations|examinations and so forth. It is oversimplislic to say that advertising plays a decisive role. Most of the time, there are a range of factors a consumer would take into account, including their income levels, circumstances, and so forth. For instance, when it comes to luxury goods, only a limited number of consumers respond with a final purchase. Therefore, however persuasive an advertisement is, never can it lead to the viewers making the same purchase.

>> brand loyalty is something of the past

 Meanwhile, consumers have low tolerance|acceptance for sameness. There is much uncertainty about the preference of consumers nowadays, primarily because they have easy access to information. An existing brand is vulnerable to any new entrant|newly-marketed products. Brand loyalty is something of the past, and the rise and fall of a brand is abrupt. Even if brand preference is established because of advertising, there is no assurance it will be maintained. It seems to be an entrenched tendency of consumers to try different products. The main reason behind the high unpredictability of consumer behaviour is unclear, but it is certain that consumers will not buy the same product.

>> create false wants + a best-seller image for a newly-marketed products

However, people should meanwhile admit that advertising has every now and then contributed to consumers’ unplanned|impulsive purchase. Banners, signs, flags and other visuals, for example, turn unintended|unintentional shoppers successfully into impulsive buyers in their mundane|dull|routine shopping trip. Another function of advertising is to make people live in a world of fantasy, in which they consider themselves prettier, slimmer, richer and more outstanding. Advertising also succeeds in creating peer effect. It is not unusual that one buys something on impulse|on a whim|impulsively without knowing much about the product but merely assuming that his or her peers are using it.

>> partake in a fashion trend

Advertising also works to create a best-seller image for a newly-marketed product. The audience is tempted to buy it in the hope that they can thus become one of the eyewitnesses|observers and participants of a fad. It is not uncommon that cell phone users replace their phones every' year, although the phone they have abandoned is still in usable|working|serviceable conditions. They might not actually need to make purchases so frequently, but advertising spurs them to do so. The power of advertising has too often abused by advertisers, who tend to give an exaggerated account of|exxagerate the popularity of a product, soon after the product is marketed. So gullible|credulous are some buyers that they are driven to buy it With the number of buyers growing, it will evolve into a buying craze|fashion|fad|trend.

>> viewers remain as decision makers

The first fact to note is that despite the strength of advertising, viewers remain as decision makers. They gather information from advertisements based on their own interest. While some people focus on quality, others are concerned with price. Likewise, advertisements stress different aspects of a product, either quality or price, which is determined by contexts. Consumers are now desensitised|indifferent to the information delivered by commercials and become increasingly cautious|careful|prudent. Quality is, in most cases, a primary concern to them. Even those most loyal users of advertising are now concentrated on|focused on product quality, believing that neither pricing nor advertising is an effective facilitator of sales and consumers’ satisfaction with quality is the key to repeat purchases.

>> a frame of reference

Price is perhaps an inducement| a stimulus used by marketers to trigger sales, but other elements, such as product package, functions, after-sales service and warrantee, appear to gain in importance. Advertising informs people of more choices, allowing them to make a buying decision according to their needs and favour a product for different reasons, either quality or price cuts. Needless to say, people have become more circumspect|careful than ever before and more prone to the interaction of other factors, such as the advice of their friends, past experience, current knowledge and physiological state.

Viewers: imitate the role models

First of all, violent movies promote heroism and individualism, cajoling people into resolving conflicts through violence, rather than legal consultation. Some action movies have conveyed a notion|a belief to the audience, especially teenagers, that a hero can be highly regarded, regardless of the consequence of his behaviour. Audiences imitate those role models|examples, in a belief that their behaviour will reap|obtain applause|praise|support from others. In most cases, their actions evolve into violent crimes.

>> increase the chances that viewers learn or contemplate using violence

As well as those TV shows, action movies have a profound impact on personality development of viewers, leading to their subsequent violent acts. Dominant entertainment media succeed in attracting millions of young viewers every single day. The audience can easily become addicted to TV programmes and tend to be isolated, temperamental|moody and aggressive. They use foul language and employ violence when feeling depressed or estranged. There is no point in denying the fact that the TV is the chief culprit for these emotional disturbances and erratic behaviour patterns.

>> personality development of viewers

There can be little doubt that a complete|detailed description of crimes has a direct impact on viewers’ perception of crime, including its nature and impacts. Ongoing exposure to reports on crime scenes has desensitised viewers to the horrors|terrors of serious crimes such as homicide. Many TV programmes tend to dramatise the process of tracing criminals. So immersed are viewers in the storyline that few are encouraged to link the crime to a brutal, unsympathetic|indifferent|cruel and devastating act. Meanwhile, hardly has any newspaper or TV editor carried out a follow-up|subsequent study of convicting|sentencing criminals. This form of representation|portrayal|description fails to alert viewers to the fact that no crimical can stay at large and all offenders will be brought to justice.

>> viewers' perception of crime

Meanwhile, the depiction of violence is potentially the primary cause of “copycat" suicides, fights, shootings and bombings. People are inclined to vent their discontent in various ways, and one of the most common is violence. The documentary on a criminal or violent act provides them with role models, those characters who initiate most of the acts of violence on television. The portrayal of those characters encourages viewers to emulate violent behaviour, believing that their acts arc likely to be acknowledged.

>> encourage viewers to emulate violent behaviour (actions)

Despite its enormous effects on the audience, the description of crimes on television or newspapers should not be made a scapegoat for all social violence. It would divert people’s attention from the root causes of violence. Some depictions of violence are likely to contribute to harmful effects on viewers, whereas other portrayals may be pro-social and beneficial for the audience. For example, many programmes encourage no-violent alternatives to solutions. Similarly, television and newspapers have played a significant role in educating the audience about the advantages of building a non-violence community and the inadvisability|inappropriateness of excessive drinking, car racing, drug using and other unlawful|illicit|illegitimate acts.

>> educational and informative programs to increase the knowledge of laws

The news media provides people with much of the information they need on a timely basis, although there are claims that it reports on issues and events purposely (only selecting those events that interest the audience). Anecdotal evidence shows that people from all walks of life have the habit of collecting information regularly from the news media, including print, broadcast and Internet-based media. Information assists people in decision making. For example, the Free Trade Agreement reached by the Chinese government and its New Zealand counterpart might open up many opportunities to both countries. For any business person, either in New Zealand or in China, failing to recognise and capitalise on|take advantage of this impending|imminent|forthcoming|coming change would cause a costly loss.

>> communicate helpful information to concerned audiences+ keep us informed of what is happening in the world

Meanwhile it should be recognised that the news media can sometimes save lives and reduce casualties|fatalities. There is a lot of uncertainly about the surroundings|environs, and people are susceptible to the damage caused by accidents, crimes and natural calamity|disater|catastrophe. The news media conveys the firsthand|immediate information to concerned audiences and enable them to take corresponding actions right away. The authority can declare a state of emergency when it is necessary, organise evacuation and distribute aid to the needy areas. All these efforts count on the news media as the messenger.

>> save lives

Reporters/Journalists

Not surprisingly, whenever people talk of|consider journalism, objectivity is the first word that springs|bounds to mind. Reporters are generally expected to disclose all facts and uncover all sides of an issue without introducing any bias, as opposed to commentators, who are allowed to provide personal opinions However, in reality, objectivity is hard to achieve. Journalists have to succumb to|yield to|give way to|surrender to either commercial or political pressure, distorting facts and misleading the public. In many countries, news organisations are controlled entirely by powerful political parties and enjoined|instructed|directed to disregard the truth and disseminate information that guides public opinions.

>> reporters could distort facts and mislead the public

Another factor contributing to the erosion of journalistic standards throughout the news business is that in these years, increasing weight|importance|significance has been given to following news values, entertainment, oddity and celebrity. To cater for the tastes of wider audiences, journalists can go so far as to twist the facts, fabricate news and spread rumours. Many news media have a clear preference on media personalities and use their public appeal to increase viewing rates, giving these publicities, who hardly remain neutral|unbiased|impartial, numerous opportunities to express their opinions publicly on a subject in which they have a personal stake or bias. It is thus fair to say that news is now less trustworthy.

>> cater for audiences with rumours

In general, a successful journalist should be first able to use careful judgement when organising and reporting information. Determination and persistence are required when journalists ought to defend the freedom of the press and ordinary citizens’ right to know the truth, despite being under different forms of pressure. In addition, they should be sensitive to and interested in current affairs at all levels. In acting as successful communicators and information senders, journalists should also have a good command of language skills and a real knowledge of different cultures, countries, races and social groups.

>> careful judgement+ determination+ persistence+ sensitive and interested in current affairs+ language proficiency

Tv programme producers|the media|The news media|The international news agencies|news agencies|Advertisers

Another category of programmes, war documentaries or crime reports, also opens up the possibility of viewers engaging in violence. Aiming at a high audience rating, TV programme producers are inclined to broadcast crime reports. Some reports can go so far as to present the whole procedure of a law-offending practice, such as robbery, shoplifting, burglary, to mention but a few. Not surprisingly, it functions like a free course from which prospective criminals learn those skills. It contributes to the rise in crime rates and then to the increase in violence that is involved in different kinds of crimes.

>> potential criminals learn skills which lead to higher crime rates

Advertisements conquer the audience mainly by sending them a message that they are lacking a specific brand or product that is likely to make them acceptable or even distinguished individuals in society. The advertisements as to medicine, dietary supplement|pills to improve health and other life-enhancing products provide a typical example. Targeting|Aiming at the buyers that are doubtful or worried about health, advertisers have sought to encourage them to think that they are threatened by such problems as malnutrition, dysfunction of any part of their bodies. Lack of the knowledge in this field, the audience will rush to buy the advertised products. Such cases are ever-present|omnipresent|pervasive, and the audience expects an immediate positive outcome --disregarding|paying no attention to|ignoring other solutions.

>> limited knowledge of many consumers

Unarguably, advertising is criticised every now and then for misleading the public. However, the rapid development of advertising itself has provided a solution to this problem, as the information delivered to the audiences has made them knowledgeable consumers. Under this circumstance, they can easily distinguish inferior|sub-standard products from quality products with their knowledge. The misleading effect of advertising will be counteracted over time.

>> disseminate market information and enable a more qualitative choice between products to consumers

Advertisements conquer the audience mainly by sending them a message that they are lacking a specific brand or product that is likely to make them acceptable or even distinguished individuals in society. The advertisements as to medicine, dietary supplement|pills to improve health and other life-enhancing products provide a typical example. Targeting|Aiming at the buyers that are doubtful or worried about health, advertisers have sought to encourage them to think that they are threatened by such problems as malnutrition, dysfunction of any part of their bodies. Lack of the knowledge in this field, the audience will rush to buy the advertised products. Such cases are ever-present|omnipresent|pervasive, and the audience expects an immediate positive outcome --disregarding|paying no attention to|ignoring other solutions.

>> limited knowledge of many consumers

Despite their significant and ongoing contribution to the society, the news media might sometimes be harmful to society. It is a convention that the news media exaggerates the magnitude|scale|level of the real threat (for example, the potential of a terrorism attack, in order to draw the attention of the desired audiences and in pursuit of high audience ratings. It ends up with causing panic among the population. Meanwhile, the news media tends to emphasise some issues or events, which virtually have little relevance to people’s daily lives, such as an occasional multiple vehicle accident, an affair that a celebrity is involved with, and the like. It distracts the audience from something that is much more noteworthy, for instance, poverty, environmental problems, to name but a few.

>> give an exaggerated account of an issue and divert audiences from the more vital issues

>> attributes valued by young consumers, subsequent buying decisions

One of the main features of advertisements is giving products an exaggerated account. In addition to this tactic|approach|scheme, advertisers tend to stress those attributes|features|traits|characteristics of a product that are likely to be valued by young consumers, while playing down|making light of others. Some advertisements might disclose detailed information about products (such as health hazards of overeating some types of food), but in most cases, such information appears normally in small print and children cannot read them clearly. Nor can children comprehend the messages with their literacy skills. As a result, young viewers are susceptible|vulnerable to the effects of a commercial, leading directly to their subsequent buying decisions or their thrust|driving force|impetus for buying.

>> an exaggerated account + hardly provide full disclosure of product characteristics + exploit their lack of knowledge or experience  >> leading to subsequent buying decisions

Business

Advertising also plays a significant role in fostering|promoting|advancing|furthering|encouraging full employment and facilitating economic well-being. By conveying marketing information constantly to the target audience, advertising speeds the consumers’ acceptance of new goods and technologies. It guarantees the high turnover rate of the manufactured goods and therefore, sustainability of a business. It is also agreed that advertising is one of the main sponsors of a large number of'other industries, for example, the entertainment industry— particularly sports, music, and theatrical events.

>> encourage greater volumes to be sold

Other factors

The surge of car users

One of the main reasons why radio would not become obsolete in the near future is that driving is rife across the world as a way of life. Radio is a regular piece of equipment installed in a car, and to car users, listening to the radio while driving is an effective means of taking full advantage of their time and gaining the latest infonnation, such as news, weather forecast, share markets, and so forth, increased car use gives radio high mobility and its exposure|coverage=publicity continues to lead other media. For those people who have no time in watching TV, radio provides immediate and easy access to information. Its continued popularity is also linked to its high affordability. Radio broadcasting is, in general, accessible to the audience with charging no fee. Another overt|obvious advantage is that a radio set is portable. On the occasions where people cannot watch TV, read newspapers or surf the net, they can listen to the radio.

>> the surge of car users + portable

Technology

The advent of other technologies has also sustained the popularity of radio. For example, people can get radio via satellite, the Internet and cable nowadays. There are many other electronic devices, such as MP3 and MP4 players, which allow people to listen to the radio more easily and to use it for various entertainments, such as sharing their music collections. Although radio is unable to convey messages with sight and motion as television or Internet does, the improvement in those hi-tech devices will ensure that the radio is able to serve the needs of audiences as it always did.

>> the development in technology enables radio to perform more functions

(radio broadcasting continues to form a large segment  of the mass media)