Escribiendo como han cambiado los medios

Medios de comunicación

Communications media

In the next activity, you will watch an unscripted interview with a woman who talks about the changing nature of media, including how books, news, shows and music are delivered.

Preparing yourself to watch

Knowing the general topic of what you're about to watch, start thinking about the vocabulary for books, shows and music. How has media changed in the past 25 years?
For example, the woman will talk about using an e-reader called a Kindle to read the news. What medium do you think she used 25 years ago?

• coronation

• Democratic Convention

• cable

• signal

• HD

• on demand

• 78 records

More communications media

The term media refers to the sources of information around us; in other words, radio, TV, newspapers, magazines and the web.

• There are many kinds of media in the modern world. Information is everywhere.

You might also hear the term mass media:

• The relationship between politics and mass media is sometimes uncomfortable.

The singular term for media is medium, which means 'a way of communicating.' However, you will see media used in both singular and plural form.

• TV is still an important medium for political parties to get their messages across.

Language note: You will also see the term the media, which refers to news journalism.

Here are some useful expressions for talking about communications media:

• Modern communications media has totally changed my life.

• On-demand media, which you can access anytime, anywhere, isn't the future – it's now.

• Click on the link, and a pop-up window will appear.

• The screen font was too small, and he couldn't read the article.

Use expressions like these to talk about how you interact with digital reading media:

• Just swipe your finger, like this, to go to the next screen.

• It's amazing! You just need to blink your eye to turn the page.

CONTRASTANDO EL PRESENTE Y EL PASADO

• When I was growing up …

• I remember …

• in the early '50s

• a real huge difference

• That goes back a ways.

• in my lifetime

Contrasting the present and the past

Use expressions like the following to emphasize present time, when you are contrasting it with the past.

• These days, there's just so much information everywhere.

• Nowadays, you can get any information on demand.

• Recently, they've invented technology where you can turn the page by just blinking.

• Lately, I've been using my e-reader more than paper books.

Use expressions with in the + decade to refer to the past. To specify a specific part of a decade, you can use the words early, late and mid-.

• In the '90s, no one was talking about e-books.

• In the early 1930s, families read together by the fire.

• In the late '70s, I watched a lot of TV instead of reading.

• In the mid-'80s, I had this huge cellphone. It was so heavy!

Use expressions like these to refer to a general time in the past:

• Somewhere along the way, Jules started reading on her smartphone.

• I recall the pride I felt at having on my shelves all the books I'd read.

• In the past, you couldn't change the font or the brightness of the screen.

• When I was growing up, I read constantly.
  

cAMBIOS EN COMO LEEMOS LOS MEDIOS

Commas, colons and semicolons

In the next activity, you'll see how a writer uses commas, colons and semicolons to convey important information.
A comma ( , ) is used before a conjunction such as and, but, or or so, to connect two independent clauses.

• The links are part of the electronic text, and I tap on them to go to a networking site.

• I have a tablet, so I swipe the screen to turn pages.

You can also use a comma after an introductory word, phrase or clause.

• Ideally, new technology should make reading even more relaxing.

• In the late '90s, I read my first electronic book.

• When I was growing up, I read two newspapers a day.

Use a comma to separate three or more items in a series, except before and.

• I read on my phone , my tablet , my notebook and my desktop computer.

You swipe the screen , tap the word and follow the link.

Use a colon ( : ) after an independent clause to introduce closely related information, such as an explanation or items in a list.

• An e-reader is important to me for one reason : I can carry lots of books on one small device.

• Right now, I've got four things to read on my tablet : a crime novel, a graphic novel about monsters, a newspaper and a magazine with healthy recipes.

You can use a semicolon ( ; ) between two interdependent sentences, or between a full sentence and a clause, to connect two closely related thoughts. It can replace a conjunction such as but or and. Sometimes a semicolon can be more effective than using two separate sentences.

• With paper media, I use my fingers to turn a page ; with electronic media, I use my fingers for swiping.

• Paper books are too heavy ; e-readers, too light.