1

Study Material 1

Course I: Introduction to electronic media

Module II: Radio

Radio is a unique medium. Irrespective of social, cultural, and economic backgrounds,

everybody can enjoy radio programs. It overcomes the barriers of illiteracy. Communication
researchers point out that the language used in radio communication should be simple, clear
and brief. Simplicity makes a program easily digestible and understandable. Of all the mass
media, radio has the widest reach as well as the widest coverage.

Characteristics of Radio

1. Mobile medium
Radio is a mobile or portable medium. A person can have it at home, carry it to somewhere
else, listen to it while driving, even can have it on land or sea. Radio is a convenient medium
that can accompany the listener anywhere.

2. Inexpensive medium
Radio sets are really cheap and easily available. Radio production costs much less compared to
television production. A television production requires studio with camera and lighting facilities,
expensive sets, costumes, artists, technicians and a number of production personnel. But radio
only requires a sound recording and a radio announcer for production.

3. Invisible medium
Radio depends on the sense of hearing. It is not supported by the medium of sight. The
audience is not really bothered about the presence of a radio unlike a television.

4. Medium of sound
Radio is an exclusive medium of sound. It is a medium of the ear. There are three major
elements of a radio broadcast, spoken words, sound effects and music. All these sound
elements should be expressive and pleasant for the listeners. It must be artistically combined to
provoke the imagination of the listener.

5. Medium of Voice
Radio is also a medium of voice. The radio announcer’s or performer’s voice is very important in
broadcasting. The performer should use various modulations in the sound to produce effective
communication.
 2

6. Intimate medium
The broadcaster must imagine the listeners sitting by their side. The listener should feel that the
announcer is speaking within the radio set. The best subjects for broadcasting are those which
intimately concern the listener, like personal and innermost feelings. The listeners receive radio
broadcasts mostly in very informal situations. So the communication is informal and intimate.

7. Simple language
Language used in a radio broadcast will be simple and easily understandable. The audience
won’t get time to check the meaning of the words or think about the underlying information in
a sentence.

8. Medium of immediacy
Radio is a medium of immediacy. It can report events as they are happening. It can deliver news
instantly. It can report an event faster than the newspapers that would take some time to reach
the readers.

9. Secondary medium
It is a unique feature of radio. A person can listen to the radio while performing other activities.
One can listen to radio while cooking, driving, eating, etc. so radio can be consumed while
performing an activity.

Strengths of Radio

Radio has the reputation of being the oldest and cheapest medium of entertainment in India.
The radio industry has been completely reshaped by the various private players that entered
the sector after the government allowed foreign investment into the segment and opened the
licenses to the private players. Radio can play its part in building a stronger business future for
India. Providing free-to-air local broadcast of music and entertainment, helpful information –
traffic advisories, community announcements and public service messages provide a real value
added service. But at current levels of advertising support, each radio station is reeling under
the brutal financial impact of high costs. The radio is a powerful mass medium. Unlike other
mass media, radio has a lot of advantages, both technical and message wise, to reach maximum
number of people.

Booming FM Radio culture: The new India observes an active private FM radio sector. It can
provide, a level of playing field with benefits for listeners, for advertisers, employment & career
options. 90% of India has access to radio which is unmatched by any other media. And now
radio is a complement to another media. Therefore, other media or advertisers or agency can
 3

use this medium for brand recall. Younger audiences, particularly those below the age of 25,
also have access to new technology like mobile phones. They have taken very quickly to
interacting with their favorite radio stations and radio jockeys.

Radio is a cost effective medium: Radio sets are not at all a luxury now unlike olden days when
radio sets were not affordable for common people. Advancement of technology made radio
production and transmission less expensive. Unlike other media, production format is sound
which can be produced at a minimum rate.

Radio is a Public Medium: Radio can be accessed by any number of people simultaneously
without much technical paraphernalia. Anybody can listen to radio as it functions as a
background medium. Radio is accessible for the Illiterates Literacy is not a prerequisite for
listening radio. In developing and under developing countries it becomes a popular medium
because of these characteristics. Majority of the population in those countries is illiterate. They
show a special affinity towards radio as they can overcome the deficiency of illiteracy through
radio programs. Being an audio medium, radio is accessible to the visually challenged also.

Radio needs less energy: Radio consumes very less energy. In that sense it is an environment
friendly medium. Since there is no need for power supply for operation radio sets, it gains
popularity in remote villages without electricity.

Radio is a speedy Medium: Radio is the fastest medium as it requires no much time for
preparation and transmission of news. Instant live broadcasting with less equipment is possible
in radio section. These characteristics extend the scope of radio as a mass medium.

Mental Imagery: Radio promotion utilizes sound, and a significant benefit of the present
circumstance is that it urges crowds to involve their creative mind in making pictures while
broadcasting the messages, which is an effective practice in advertising.

Limitations of Radio

Radio has many inherent limitations. It provides one way channel of communication. Therefore,
no feedback regarding the messages can be received. Since the listener’s attention is held only
by the sound; messages communicated through radio can reach only those people who listen
carefully and intelligently. One has to be very attentive to receive the messages from radio
otherwise he misses a part of the message. Radio lacks the pictorial quality provided by
television and motion pictures. Moreover, no visuals can be used with radio to support the
messages. Radio is not suitable for all types of commercials as some require illustration or
demonstration.
 4

Since radio conveys messages through sound only, it demands a habit of skillful listening which
generally people lack. Radio may broadcast a well-developed lesson, but cannot develop a
lesson with the audience. With many people to receive a complete detailed lesson or a program
through radio becomes very taxing or boring as it tends to become monotonous at times.

Evolution of Radio

The radio was the mass communication device, which enabled information to be transferred far
and wide. The development of radio began in 1893 with Nikolai Tesla’s demonstration of
wireless radio communication in St. Louis, Missouri. The man most associated with the advent
of the radio is Guglielmo Marconi, who in 1986 was awarded the official patent for the radio by
the British government. Europe’s most famous broadcasting station, the British Broadcasting
Corporation or BBC, began its operations locally in London in 1922. Following the Second World
War the radio entertainment began focusing on musical programs. All the programs were
aimed at youngsters and newly emerging ‘middle class’. The sixties and seventies saw the rise
of FM radio.

Brief Overview of Evolution of Radio in India

The history of radio broadcast started in India with the setting up of a private radio service in
Chennai, in the year 1924. In that same year, British government gave license to the Indian
Broadcasting Company, to launch Radio stations in Mumbai and Kolkata. Later as the company
became bankrupt, the government took possession of the transmitters and began its
operations as the Indian State Broadcasting Corporation.

In the year 1936, it was renamed All India Radio (AIR) and the Department of Communications
managed it entirely. After independence, All India Radio was converted into a separate
Department. All India Radio has five regional headquarters in New Delhi, for the North Zone; in
Kolkata, for the East Zone; in Guwahati, for the North-East Zone, in Mumbai, for the West Zone;
and in Chennai, for the South Zone. In the year 1957, All India Radio was renamed Akashvani,
which is controlled by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. During the period of
independence only a mere 6 radio stations existed throughout the country. But during the late
1990s, the network of All India Radio extended to almost 146 AM stations. Moreover the
Integrated North-East Service focused on reaching to the population in northeast India. All India
Radio offers programs in English, Hindi and numerous regional and local languages. In the year
1967, Commercial Radio services started in India. The initiative was taken by Vividh Bharati and
Commercial Service, from the headquarters in Mumbai. Vividh Bharati accumulated revenues
from widespread sponsorships and advertisements. During the mid-1990s, broadcasting was
carried on from 31 AM and FM stations. Indian radio was particularly designed and
 5

programmed to provide support to the procedure of social improvement, which was a vital
prerequisite of economic enhancement. The leading development beliefs of the time analyzed
the problems and hindrances in development as the primary ones in the developing nations.
The function of broadcasting paved a way for the surge of modern concepts. Later, with the
modernization of the country, television was introduced and broadcasting achieved new status.
But by then, radio had become a popular medium in India. Diverse programs including
entertainment and melodious songs were also transmitted nationwide. Akashvani or All India
Radio still stands as one of the biggest radio networks around the globe.

AIR – All India Radio: The radio broadcasting service was later designated ‘All India Radio’ (AIR)
and was placed under a separate Ministry-the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The
AIR is controlled by a Director General, who is assisted by several Deputy Directors and a Chief
Engineer. Broadcasting, in its significance, reach and impact, constitutes the most powerful
medium of mass communication in India. Its importance, as a medium of information and
education is particularly great in a vast and developing country like India where the reach of the
printed word is not very wide or deep. While the total circulation of all the newspapers in India,
including both English and Indian language papers, is around 8 million, there are, according to a
recent estimate, nearly 400 million (out of a total population of 625 million) potential listeners
to All India Radio. Broadcasting in India is a national service, developed and operated by the
government of India. All India Radio (also known as Akashvani) operates this service; over a
network of broadcasting stations located ail over the country. Starting with 6 broadcasting
stations in 1947, the AIR today has a network of 82 broadcasting stations.

External Services (Overseas): AIR made its first broadcast to listeners outside India on October
1, 1939. Today the External Services of AIR broadcast in 25 languages for about 50 hours daily
round-the-clock, reaching listeners in widely scattered areas of the world.

VividhBharati: A self-contained service of popular entertainment, known as VividhBharati was

started in October 1957 to meet the growing demand for popular music and light features.
Commercial advertising was introduced on AIR in November, 1967, from the Bombay-Nagpur
channel of VividhBharati on an experimental basis. It was gradually extended to Calcutta (1968);
Delhi and Madras-Tiruchirapalli (1969); Chandigarh-Jullundur- Bangalore, Dharwar,
Ahmedabad- Rajkot, Kanpur-Lucknow-Allahabad (1970), Hyderabad-Vijayawada (1971) and
Bhopal, Indore, Cuttack, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Patna, Ranchi and Trivandrum (1975). Advertisements
are accepted in any language as tape recorded ‘spots’ of 15 seconds or 30 seconds duration.
VividhBharati, an alternative national service of All India Radio, now forms a part of the Central
Sales Unit of the Commercial Broadcasting Service. It has also started originating programs.

National service: Started in July 1952, the weekly National Program of Music provides an
opportunity to listeners to hear well-known exponents of Hindustani and Karnataka music. At
 6

suitable intervals, programs based on recordings of old masters are also featured in this
program. The National Program of Features attempts to mirror the progress made in different
spheres of development in the country and to project various aspects of its social and cultural
life. The original broadcast of this feature might be in Hindi or English, but these are invariably
translated into all regional languages and presented from the regional stations. Programs for
the youth in YuvaVani are broadcast from Kolkatta, Delhi, Hyderabad, Jammu, Patna and
Srinagar stations. This service provides a forum to the youth between the ages of l5 and 25
years, who present their viewpoint by participating in a wide range of programs talks,
discussions interviews, plays, features and music. A youth news bulletin is also broadcast by the
youth themselves.

Organisational Structure of a Radio Station

The head of a radio station is the general manager. In a radio station there are basically four
distinct departments. They are:
• Administrative Department
The overall administration and management of the station is taken care by this department.
The department takes care of the internal and external affairs. It is further divided into
accounting, business, public relations, advertising, human resource, etc. This department
provides all the support and resources that is required for the functioning of the station.
• Programming Department
This department is responsible for broadcasting of radio programmes and other media related
activities. Programme director is in charge of this department. Main duties of this department
are programme planning, research and production. The final authorisation for transmission of
the programme is issued by the programme director. Under the programme director there are
music directors, production directors and production executives, who are responsible for the
production and supervision of the segment allotted to them. There are also reporters, radio
jockeys, instrumentalists and singers who work under this department.
• Engineering Department
The engineering department is headed and supervised by the chief engineer. Under the chief
engineer there will be a number of assistant engineers. The technical aspects of the station are
handled by this department. Engineering department plays a major role in the transmission of
radio programmes.
• Sales Department
This department monitors the sales and promotion activities and ensures financial flow to the
station. The organisation of this department depends upon the business model followed by the
 7

station. In commercial radio stations, sales department consists of account executives,

advertisement managers, sales representatives, etc.

Types of Radio Stations

Radio station is the place where the production and transmission of radio programmes are
conducted. There are different types of radio stations:
1. Commercial stations
These types of radio stations functions with profit motive. Revenue production is mainly
through radio advertisements where the advertisers pay for time.
2. Non – commercial stations
They are normally funded by the government. They do not accept financial support from
outside in the form of advertisements or any other source.
3. AM and FM Stations
Types of waves used for transmission of radio messages are different. AM (amplitude
modulation) and FM (frequency modulation) are two different kinds of radio waves used for
transmission. Radio stations are also categorized on the basis of mode of transmission.
4. Community Radio Stations
This type of radio stations focus on a specific area or community. The broadcasting will be done
for audience of a small area. The programmes will include matters of local interest.

AM and FM radio stations

First of all, in order to transmit radio waves, a transmitter and receiver are needed. A radio
wave acts as the carrier of the information through encoded waves or a process called
modulation. Modulation is the variation of a property of an electromagnetic wave or signal,
such as its amplitude, frequency, or phase.

The two main types of radio transmission are amplitude modulation (AM) and frequency
modulation (FM). The older broadcasting method and most popular method, frequency
modulation (FM) minimizes noise and provides greater reliability. Both AM and FM process
sounds into patterns, that are always varying, of electrical signals. They closely resemble sound
waves. In an AM transmission the carrier wave has a constant frequency, but the strength of
the wave varies. The FM transmitter is just the opposite; the wave has constant amplitude but a
varying frequency. Ex: Club FM, Radio Mango, Radio Mirchi, etc.

Community Radio
 8

Community radio is a radio service offering a third model of radio broadcasting in addition to
commercial and public broadcasting. This type of radio stations focus on a specific area or
community. The broadcasting will be done for audience of a small area. The programs will
include matters of local interest. Community stations serve geographic communities and
communities of interest. Community radio is a social process or event in which members of the
community associate together to design programs and produce and air them, thus taking on
the primary role of actors in their own destiny, whether this be for something as common as
mending fences in the neighborhood, or a community-wide campaign on how to use clean
water and keep it clean, or agitation for the election of new local leaders.

The emphasis is on the ownership of democratic and development efforts by the members of
the community themselves and the use of media, in this case radio, to achieve it. In every
sense, this is participatory communication. It is above all a process, not a technology, not
merely a means. It is the community speaking to each other and acting together for common
goals.

Module IV: Internet

New media comprises of all kind of digital interactive forms of communication that uses
internet facilities. Online communication services like podcasts, blogs, social networks, news
portals, email servers, wikis, text messaging, and all other computer aided online services come
under new media. New media makes it possible to create, modify and share content. The
process of online content generation is generally free of cost or less expensive. The devices that
are commonly used to access new media services are computers and smart phones.

Milestones in history of internet

The invention of internet has revolutionized the entire communication systems and computer
technology than any other inventions of digital world. Internet integrated the qualities of most
of its predecessor technologies like telephone, radio, television, computer etc. The popularity
of internet technology boomed in the nineties after the advent of World Wide Web by Tim
Berners lee. This enabled coordinating websites and provides information and resources to
common users. Milestones in the history of internet are:

- Advanced Research Project Agency (ARPA) was formed under the US department of defense
in 1957. ARPA was responsible for the development of new media technology.
 9

- Advanced Research Project Agency Network (ARPANET) came into existence in 1969. The first
operational host to host ARPANET connection was made between university of California and
Stanford research institute on October 25, 1969.

- In 1972 ARPANET began email communications.

- The digital communication technology was named as internet in 1973.

- The term World Wide Web was coined by Tim Berners Lee in 1990.

- Internet registration in 1992 for .com, .net, .org, .edu and .gov.

- In 1993 the first web browser was created with the name MOSAIC web browser.

- Java, the independent programing language was created by Jim Gosling in 1995.

- Yahoo! was founded in the same year, which provided web search engine, email service, etc.

- Google was founded in September 4, 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin.

- Wikipedia was launched in 2001 by Jimmy Wales and Larry singer.

- In 2004 Facebook was founded by Mark Zuckerberg which opened a new era of social
networking.

- In the same year Gmail, the email service of Google, was created by Paul Buchhiet.

- Video sharing website YouTube was launched in 2005.

- Social networking site Twitter was found in 2006.

Internet in India

India found her place on the internet map a few years after the advent of internet
communications. India’s first internet service was launched in 1987. It was named as Education
and Research Network (ERNET). Usage of ERNET was confined to the educational and research
institutions.

Commercial internet services started in India in 1995. Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL)
was introduced in the same year, which was an entire public sector enterprise on that time. The
Gateway Internet Access Service (GIAS) was launched in 1995 by overseas communications
services. In 1998 government liberalized the Internet service provider (ISP) policies, and this led
to spread of private sector service providers in India. In the survey conducted by telecom
regulatory authority of India (TRAI) in 2004, it was stated that there are 189 private ISPs in
India.
 10

The reasons behind the advancement of internet in India are VSNL and popularity of smart
phones. The number of people accessing internet through mobile phone is larger than the ones
who uses laptops and PCs. India is still in the growing stage considering the advancement made
by developed countries in internet communications.

Characteristics of new media

Internet is a worldwide system of computers interconnected to each other. A person on any

part of the globe can interact with any other person through internet. The basic feature of
internet is its ability to share information and enable interaction. An internet user can share
information, ideas and feelings through internet and receive a feedback.

1. Interactivity

Interactivity is a prominent feature of new media which allows a two way flow of
communication between the user and the computer or any other digital communication device.
It allows the user to become an active partner in the communication process. There are various
devices and software’s that utilize the possibilities of interactivity such as, smart phones,
computer games, smart classes, etc. The basic feature of interactivity is feedback. It depends on
the two way communication system and requires a response from the user for flawless
functioning. Interactivity is classified into three types; navigational, functional and adaptive.

• Navigational interactivity

Navigational interactivity as the name suggests helps to navigate through hyperlinks and search
engines which connect web pages and websites.

• Functional interactivity

It enables the interaction between the user and the digital device. It is commonly used by
websites for receiving feedback from the users.

• Adaptive Interactivity

It helps the user to edit and update the information in a digital media. Some websites uses this
feature to enable the audience to involve in the updating of content.

2. Multimedia

It refers to the co-existence of different media in a single platform. Website is the best example
of multimedia. Multimedia is used in various electronic devices such as computers, smart
phones, etc. It combines all form of digital Mediums such as audio, video, text, images and
 11

graphics in a single format. Hypermedia is another form of multimedia where multimedia

elements are combined with hypertext or hyperlink.

3. Hypertext

It is the feature that allows a user to navigate through web pages and websites using
hypertexts. A hypertext is a word or sentence on a webpage that is attached with a hyperlink. A
hypertext will be linked with a webpage or website or even another portion of the same
webpage. Hyperlink can be applied to text content or multimedia content.

4. Universality

Internet is a world-wide system of interconnected computers. A person who can access a

computer or any other device which supports an internet connection, can access any
information that is available on the internet.

5. Immediacy

It refers to the capacity of new media to deliver information immediately from any part of the
world. Nowadays online news portals are faster than any other news media in delivering news.

6. Media convergence

Convergence means that ‘coming together of two or more things.’ It is a co –existence or

merging of several media forms such as television, print and internet in a combined digital
platform. It is an ongoing process of interaction between various kinds of media platforms. It is
a cooperation and collaboration between previously unconnected media platforms. Burnnet
and Marshal define convergence as blending of media, telecommunications and computer
industries. It brings together ‘the three C’s’, i.e., computing, communication, and content. It is
an after effect of the digitisation of media content and the popularisation of the Internet. Some
of the dish television providers also avails internet service through the same set top box for
distributing television signals. This can also be an example of media convergence. Multimedia
functions under the theory of convergence. Various media elements like video, audio, print,
animation etc., is coming together to form a multimedia programme.

Digital Divide

The digital divide refers to the gap between demographics and regions that have access to
modern information and communications technology and those that don’t. Though the term
now encompasses the technical and financial ability to utilize available technology, along with
access (or a lack of access) to the internet; the gap it refers to is constantly shifting with the
development of technology. This is an issue within many countries, with rural populations much
 12

more likely to be cut off from digital technologies than city residents are. The divide also exists among
countries and continents. Beyond the gaps between developed and developing countries, rural and
urban populations, and men and women, there are other types of digital divides:

Digital natives are the new generation of young people born into the digital age, while “digital
immigrants” are those who learnt to use computers at some stage during their adult life.
Whereas digital natives are assumed to be inherently technology-savvy, digital immigrants are
usually assumed to have some difficulty with information technology.

Advantages and disadvantages of new media

• Advantages

1. Fast and cheap communication

Communication through new media is faster and cheaper. Communication platforms like
Facebook, twitter, Whatsapp and email services like Gmail and yahoo make communication
easier and faster. They are also free of cost.
2. Easy sharing of large files
Heavy files like videos, software etc., can be easily shared using email or file sharing websites.
3. Provides information
New media is a source of large amount of information. A person browsing through internet
could access any kind of information through the websites.
4. Provides entertainment
Entertainment is one of the major reasons why people prefer new media facilities. There are a
lot of games to play, videos to watch, etc.
5. Online services
Services like online banking, online booking, hotel reservations, online shopping, are widely
depended by the society these days.
6. Product promotion
There are various methods for promotion through new media like, social media marketing,
mobile marketing, advertising through websites and forums, etc.
• Disadvantages
1. Virus threat
Virus threat is common for all new media devices. Virus is a computer programme that attacks
and destroys the data stored in a digital device. There are various types of viruses like spyware,
adware, and other viruses. This may affect the important files that are stored in a digital device.
2. Insecurity and theft of data
Personal information of the user and other important data can be stolen from a new media
device or internet. There are lots of phishing sites on internet that are completely dedicated for
this purpose.
 13

3. Spamming
Spamming is the use of digital communication systems to send unwanted messages and
advertisements repeatedly on the same site. Spamming is common in Email servers, social
media, chat forums, mobile messages etc.
4. Explicit content
Pornographic videos and images can easily spread through new media. It is not easy to control
these types of materials if they are shared though online. Pornography includes sex and
violence content.

Cyberspace and cyber law

The term cyberspace is used to describe the virtual world of computers and internet. It is a
nonphysical environment in which communication over computer networks occurs. Individuals
can interact, exchange ideas, share information, provide social support, conduct business,
direct actions, create artistic media, play games, engage in political discussion, and so on, using
this global network. The term cyberspace is used to describe anything that relates to the
internet or internet culture.

Cyber law is a term used to describe the legal issues related to use of communications
technology, particularly cyberspace. It is a rapidly evolving area of civil and criminal law as
applicable to the use of computers, and activities performed and transactions conducted over
internet and other networks. This area of law also deals with the exchange of communications
and information, protection of intellectual property rights, freedom of speech, and public
access to information.

Social media networks

A social media is a communicative tool that uses mobile and internet technologies, for creating
highly interactive communities to share, discuss and modify user generated content. User
generated content can be information, ideas, pictures, videos, etc. Social media is a wide term
that includes collaborative websites such as Wikipedia, social networking sites like Facebook,
content communities like YouTube, etc. nowadays social networking has become one of the
most powerful sources for news updates through various platforms. Social media sites provide
a space for free speech and expression. Recently many political and social movements have
arisen from the campaigns held through social media. They introduce enormous and persistent
changes to communication between businesses, organisations, communities, and individuals.
The most common social networking sites are, Facebook, YouTube, twitter, blogger, word
press, linked in, tumbler, etc.
 14

Online Journalism

Online journalism is a contemporary form of journalism where editorial content is distributed

via the Internet. Here the primary product of journalism, which is news and features on current
affairs, is presented solely or in combination as text, audio, video and some interactive forms,
and disseminated through digital media platforms. It is also called digital journalism.

Fewer barriers to entry, lowered distribution costs, and diverse computer networking
technologies have led to the widespread practice of online journalism. It has democratized the
flow of information that was previously controlled by traditional media including newspapers,
magazines, radio, and television. The digital aspect may be central to the journalistic message
and remains, to some extent, within the creative control of the writer, editor, and/or publisher.

Before the Internet, spontaneous discussion between readers who had never met was
impossible. The process of discussing a news item is a big portion of what makes for online
journalism. People add to the story and connect with other people who want to discuss the
topic. Online journalism opens up new ways of storytelling; through the technical components
of the new medium, digital journalists can provide a variety of media, such as audio, video, and
digital photography.

Online journalism represents a revolution of how news is consumed by society. Online sources
are able to provide quick, efficient, and accurate reporting of breaking news in a matter of
seconds, providing society with a synopsis of events as they occur. Throughout the
development of the event, journalists are able to feed online sources the information keeping
readers up-to-date in mere seconds. The speed in which a story can be posted can affect the
accuracy of the reporting in a way that doesn’t usually happen in print journalism. Before the
emergence of online journalism the printing process took much more time, allowing for the
discovery and correction of errors.

Writing for web

The basic factor behind web writing is the knowledge of how users consume the web content. A
web user seldom reads the entire content displayed on a web page. Instead they scan through
the pages. They try to find out the information they needed by picking up one or two
sentences. Usually the users don’t scroll down through a page for a long time. So the
information given on a webpage should be short and to the point. Information given on a
webpage should be factual without any overly hyped language. A user can always search for an
alternative resource on internet. Web writing involves certain criteria to make it interesting and
effective.

1. Crisp and scannable content

 15

The text should be crisp and scannable. If the webpage is displaying too many words, then it’s
hard for the audience to read the content. Scanning is the method of going through the content
without reading the entire matter. So certain elements like bold letters, headlines, highlighted
text, and table of contents, graphical representations, and bulleted lists should be included in
the webpage content.
2. Well organized structure
The web users always prefer to get a summary of the content in the beginning. So inverted
pyramid style is favourable for web writing. The content should be clear and well organized.
The graphical elements used in the web content should complement the information in the
content.
3. Credible information
Accuracy, fairness and lesser number of grammatical errors increase the credibility of the
content. External references and updated data should be added to make the content
believable. Usability of a website also influences the users’ faith on the website.
4. Usage of Hypertexts
Using hypertexts allows the user to navigate from one page to another on a website. It also
helps to add hyperlinks that connect the web page to other websites. Hypertexts make the
browsing easier for the users.