Compare the advantages and disadvantages of three of the following as media for communicating information. State which you consider to be most effective:
Comics, books, radio, television, film, theatre
There are various ways to transmit information. This may be visually through books, aurally by using the radio or interactively in the form of a theatrical play. In my opinion, although the theatre is not the most popular means of communication today, it is the most effective.
Books are portable, available everywhere and are an important source of information. However, in developing and underdeveloped countries, a vast number of people are illiterate and cannot be reached in this way. Technology has reduced the value of this on-way system of communicating between a reader and a writer. Lastly books can be criticised for not being environmentally friendly and limited to one reading.
The radio can reach a wider audience, include current programmes that might be of interest and generate a discussion amongst listeners. It is also ideal for those who cannot read or spend long hours on the road. Today, the radio has lost its appeal, having being replaced by television, film etc. Most programmes are interrupted by advertisements or by annoying disc jockeys that won’t stop talking. Lastly, as a form of communication, body language is lost.
On the other hand, the theatre has been around for thousands of years, entertaining and informing all sorts of crowds from villages to cities. In rural villages of Africa, the theatre is used to educate people about AIDS and protective measures. A play is memorable, interactive and is experienced in real time. As such, I find it to be the most effective form of communicating information.
Cambridge, Ielts 4 past papers, p.32
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