When it comes to following the news, people tend to have different preferences, between radio and television. I, however, believe that both these mediums are useful, and that the preference of one medium over the other is circumstantial.
Keeping ourselves updated and abreast with all that is happening around the world is extremely imperative. Everyone chooses to go about receiving news through a medium they deem appropriate. In the olden days, most of the news was read on newspapers, as opposed to today where they can be read online, heard on the radio and watched, on the television. So what helps determine the best source of receiving news? The individual’s current situation, and circumstance. For example, watching the news on the television may be considered as an act of luxury. Everyone owns a television at this time and age. However, sitting on the couch after a hard day of work, watching the news on the television is a form of luxury that a lot of people are not privy to. In those situations, people turn to the humble radio. Listening to the radio does not require leisure or luxury. Radio news can be accessed anywhere, anytime and on the go. On your phones, in your car, and even while travelling to and from work, listening to the radio is a great way of staying aware of the things happening around the world. Radios are also more popular among the older generation of individuals.
That being said, news on the radio can be perceived to be a little monotonous and drab, compared to the television broadcast. People tend to unknowingly lose focus while listening to the news. Watching the news on television is much more engaging and captures more of our attention as it makes use of our sense of sight as well as hearing. The same piece of information can be relayed in a more effective way, via television. This may also be one of the reasons some people prefer it over the radio.
In conclusion, in terms of news broadcasting and receiving, both radio and television are great mediums, that have their own sets of pros and cons which play a major role in people’s decision to prefer one over the other.