What are the characteristics of Television

The main character of television is its audiovisual nature. It is one of the important mass media devices. The characteristics of television are:

1.       Audiovisual medium

Television is a medium of moving images and sound. So it is called an audio visual medium. It is for both eye and ear. The audio and visual presentation creates more impact on the audience.

2.      Convergent media

Television combines the qualities of various media like radio and newspaper, i.e., audio, picture and information. It has the ability to converge the qualities of other media in a single platform. So it is a convergent medium.

3.      Universal medium

The television is a universal medium. Any person with a television set can watch programs on television. The ethnicity, race or color of the audience is not a factor here.

4.      Popular Medium

Literacy is not a barrier in watching television while newspaper reading requires literacy. Any illiterate can get information and entertainment from television. It is a popular medium that any type of people can use.

5.      Medium of Credibility

The television gives information in a visual form. The visuals can be more credible than the audio or print.

6.      Glamour medium

A person who gets coverage by television gets more popularity than in any other media. There is a prominent factor of glamour in television.

7.      Medium of close up

Television screen is smaller than a cinema screen. So landscape or long shots won’t look so attractive in a television screen. Medium or close up shots are more preferable for a television screen.

8.     Domestic medium / Living room medium

No one goes out to watch television. Most of the audience watches television at home. Television is a medium for domestic environment.

9.      Inspiring medium

Visuals can motivate or inspire a human being than sound or print. Television can create a new trend or style in the society.

10.  Medium of immediacy / Live medium

Television enables the audience to view the events anywhere in the world live while sitting in our drawing rooms. The video reports of a terrorist attack or natural disaster can reach the audience in seconds, through a television.

11.   Advertisers medium

Visual advertisements are more pleasing to the eyes. So advertisers give more preference for the television to broadcast their ads.

12.  Mass medium

The message delivered by television reaches a large number of homogenous audiences. Television is a major mass medium.