Media, media taxomomies like those provided by Bretz (1971), Ciampa (1989), Foulger (1992), and Hoffman and Novak (1996), provide a useful starting point for describing the range of media. While these four taxonomies are very different, each lists a wide variety of media (28 for Bretz, 35 for Hoffman and Novak, at least 43 for Ciampa, and 52 for Foulger) and organizes them in an interesting way. Taken in aggregate, these sources suggest that it may be useful, at least for summary purposes, to group human communications systems as follows:
| Propinquitous Interactive Media | Intimacy, Face-to-Face Interaction, Social Dancing, Small Group Interaction, Brainstorming, Family Interaction, Participatory Games and Sports, Classroom discussion |
| Live Presentational Media | Speeches, Lectures, Town Meetings, Judicial Proceedings, Ritual Ceremonies, Legislative Assemblies, Mobs, Theatrical Performance, Bonfires, Political Rallies, Live Musical Performance, Sporting Events, Puppet Shows |
| Static Art Media | Cave Paintings, Bas Relief, Oil Paintings, Dioramas, Quilts, Pottery, Sculpture, Architecture, Animatons, Photographs, Filmstrips, Holographic Recordings, Signs, Billboards |
| Correspondence Media | Letters, Notes, Memos, Telewriting, Telegrams, Telex, Facsimile, Tape Letters, Personal Video, Recorded Telewriting, Electronic Mail |
| Publishing Media | Books, Daily Newspapers, Magazines, Video Recordings (Videotapes, DVD Video, etc), Weekly Newspapers, Journals, Recordings (Records, CD's, Cassettes), Newsletters, Mechandise Packaging, On-line information, Online databases, Online services, Electronic Publications, MultiMedia Documents (VideoText), Billboards, Direct Mail Advertizing, Microforms |
| Telephonic Media | Telephone, Teleconferencing, Intercom, C.B. Radio, Ham Radio, Family Radio, Videophone, VideoConferencing, Internet Telephone (CU See Me), Instant Messenger |
| Dynamic Art Media | Silent Film, Motion Pictures, Film with Subtitles, Talking Animatons, Lightboards |
| Broadcast Media | Broadcast Television, Cable Television, Satellite TV, Digital TV, Radio, Talk Radio |
| Interactive Mass Media | Hypermedia, Video Hypermedia, Computer Conferencing (Newsgroups, ListServes), Cooperative Composition, Voice Mail, Electronic Bulletin Boards, Streaming Audio and Video, Voice-into-text concurrent interaction, Virtual Reality, Interactive Television |