Mass Media in the USA

What is the media?
Mass media can be defined as channels of communication with the help of which information is delivered to the audience.

Features of mass media
There are 3 main features which characterize mass media.
First of all, they must be periodic.
Second, they are always aimed at a large audience.
Third, there must be a speaker or any other source of information.

What is included in media?
To media belong newspapers and magazines, radio, television, books and nowadays very important source of information is internet.
In ancient times these sources were not so important as in this modern age.

NEWSPAPERS
MAGAZINES
Books

Newspapers
The power of press in the USA is enormous. The U.S. Constitution guarantees freedom of press and the press media act as a check on governmental action.
The largest daily newspapers published in the USA are The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times(which was published in 1851 by Henry Raymond), The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Tribune and many others.

Magazines
There are over 11 000 magazines published in the United States.
A magazine is a periodical publication containing a variety of articles, generally financed by advertising and purchase by readers.
Magazines can be classified as:
General interest magazines (e.g. The Week, The Sunday Times etc.)
Special interest magazines (women's, sports, business, etc.)

Radio
The beginning of commercial radio broadcasts in 1920 brought a new source of information and entertainment directly into American homes. Starting in the 1950s, radios became standard accessories in American automobiles.
In the U.S. besides the 10 000 commercial radio stations are also 1 400 public radio stations, which published for educational purposes and are financed by public funds and private donations.

TV
The cable TV is very popular as it increases the number of channels. Since the time the U.S. launched the world´s first communication space satellite in 1965, the satellite TV has become quite common in the U.S.A. and other countries of the world.
There are three privately
owned networks which
offer free programming
financed by commercials – NBC, CBS and ABC.

Internet
Internet is very popular source of information. Mainly for young people is very useful. It brings news, facts or scandals, news about celebrities or the royal family fast and comfortable. You do not go out, you can only be at home and found a lots of information which are interesting for us at the weekend.
But it is also really useful source of information.

Books
A bookA book is a collection of sheets of paperA book is a collection of sheets of paper, parchmentA book is a collection of sheets of paper, parchment or other material with a piece of text written on them, bound together along one edge within covers. A book is also a literary work or a main division of such a work. A book produced in electronic format is known as an e-book.

Role of mass media in the life of the society
It is difficult to overestimate the role of mass media in our life. Media influence people's consciousness, creating a certain public opinion.
They also play a great role in the formation of a personality. With the help of mass media it became possible to quickly learn about things that happen around the world.