THE TERM "MASS
COMMUNICATION"
Mass communication is a way of
interactive distantly with unknown audiences. It is a communication between an
institutional source and a large number of receivers. It is not a face to face
communication.
Bittner (1989) says essentially, mass
communication messages communicate through the mass media to a large number of
people. He added that, for mass communication to exist, we need an
inter-mediate transmitter through a mass medium such as Newspaper, Magazines,
Radio, Television, Internet or combination of these. Accordingly, a politician
who delivers a major address without the help of the mass media would be forbidden
or losing his chance to reach thousands of or over millions of people who are
not physically attending the speech.
According to Dominic (2002), mass
communication refers to the process by which a complex organization with the
aid of more machines produces and transmit public messages that are directed at
large heterogeneous and scattered audiences.
Mass communication may be define as
the transmission of message which may be process through the gate-keeper prior
to be sent to large audience via a channel of broadcast transmission (media).
It occurs when a small number of people, (gate-keepers) send message to large
number of people and usually heterogeneous audience through the uses of the
mass media. Conventionally, it must pass through a series of arms
(gate-keepers) to ensure clarity, accuracy, honesty, professionalism and social
taste. In mass communication; the communication and the audience remain
personally unknown. Messages are sent to who it may concern, that is the mass
audience which comprises of the receiver of different characteristics, and
these receivers are uncountable and massive.
Mass communication is the study of
how individuals and entities relay information through mass media to large
segments of the population at the same time. It is usually understood to relate
to newspaper, magazine, and book publishing, as well as radio, television and
film, as these mediums are used for disseminating information, news and
advertising. Mass communication differs from the studies of other forms of
communication, such as interpersonal communication or organizational
communication, in that it focuses on a single source transmitting information
to a large group of receivers. The study of mass communication is chiefly
concerned with how the content of mass communication persuades or otherwise
affects the behavior, attitude, opinion, or emotion of the person or people
receiving the information. Mass communication is the process by which a person,
group of people, or large organization creates a message and transmits it
through some type of medium to a large, anonymous, heterogeneous audience. Mass
communication is regularly associated with media influence or media effects,
and media studies. Mass communication is a branch of social science that falls under
the larger umbrella of communication studies or communication.
HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF MASS COMMUNICATION
The history of communication moves
from prehistoric forms of art and writing through modern communication methods
such as the internet. Mass communication fits in when humans began to be able
to transmit messages from a single source to multiple receivers. Mass
communication has moved from theories such as the hypodermic needle model (or
magic bullet theory) through more modern theories such as computer-mediated
communication. In the United States, the study of mass communication is often
associated with the practical applications of journalism (Print media),
television and radio broadcasting, film, public relations, or advertising. With
the diversification of media options, the study of communication has extended
to include social media and new media, which have stronger feedback models than
traditional media sources. While the field of mass communication is continually
evolving, the following four fields are generally regarded to be the major
areas of study within mass communication. They exist in different forms and
configurations at different schools or universities, but are (in some form)
practiced at most institutions that study mass communication.
COMPONENTS OF MASS COMMUNICATION
Components of mass communication
involves those elements that are necessary for mass communication to take
place. These include the following discus below:
- REPORTER: In mass communication, the reporter serve the function
of gathering and transmitting of mass message to the yearning massive
audiences. It is also the man-power in the communication as it utilize the
different technologies in the mass media in order to inform, educate and
entertain the audience.
- MASS MESSAGES: This is what differentiates mass communication
with other forms of communication. The messages were conveyed in a massive form
in order to satisfy the audience needs. The messages were gathered from all
sort of human endeavor. Such as politics, finance, health, sports,
entertainments, etc.
- THE MASS MEDIA: The mass media comprises of
different technologies put together in order to convey the message to the
audience. It include the radio and television house, newspaper and magazines,
and the internet, each play a vital role in conveying massive message to
massive audience.
- MASS AUDIENCES: This comprises of different,
scattered, vast, faceless, uncountable and heretegeneous people who relied on
the message going to be put across in order to shape their lives. The achieve
this aim through the uses of radio or television set, computer and mobile
phones to browse the internet, newspaper and magazines to read.
IMPERATIVE OF MASS COMMUNICATION IN THE MODERN SOCIETY
Shramm and Robert (1971) observe that
one of the striking features in modern society is the presence everywhere of
mass media - a system that provide information to diverse, scattered and
anonymous audiences. And they give a unique quality to age in which we live, according
to the authors. Mass media have given us a much wider window of world than was
available to individuals and society before our home.
Similarly, Gerald (1956) observed
that today command audiences and readers the will to shock our great grandparent
and surpass the dream of scientist whose research is found.
The basic purpose of mass
communication is the transfer of meaning. During his entire span of life, man
is pre-occuppied with the necessity of making himself known and attentive of
understanding. Communication is perhaps the fundamental link between people.
Murphy (1977) says, it is the process through which knowledge is pass through
success or achieved. Indeed, communication may be seen as a social name, social
requirement and political necessity.
John (2005) says an understanding of
the process of mass communication begins with knowing the fundamental of human
communication. According to him, these fundamental are conceptualizing (forming
an idea), encoding (putting something e.g. Idea into symbols), transmitting
(sending of messages), decoding (translating a symbolic message) and
internalizing (making sense out of the decoded messages). John further
identifies four communications.
THE THREE BASIC MEANS OF MASS COMMUNICATION
» Through the printed world: - Newspaper, magazines, books
etc.
» Through sounds: - Primarily radio but also record or tape
decoding.
» Through the combination of sounds and moving pictures: - In
televisions, films and video tapes.
DIFFERENCE AND SIMILARITIES BETWEEN JOURNALISM AND MASS
COMMUNICATION
Journalism and mass communication are
the same on one hand because both employ the mass media to reach vast audience
and readers.
But on the other hand they differ because whereas, journalism
is primarily with news, mass communication further include advertising, public
relations and book publishing. You can say mass communication is the tree and
it branches are journalism, advertising, public relations and books publishing.
Advertising, public relation and book publishing are not
journalism. But like journalism may have to pass through the technical means of
amplifying and spreading messages publicly in order to reach the audience
(buyers and other members of the public).
Mass communication helps to immensely
and massively to publicize the public relation activities and advertising, Air
force or government, non-government organization, prominent individuals and
business concern.
Mass communication can also ensure good publishing because
books are produce, (written, edited, illustrated, layout and printed) like
newspaper and magazines using the printing press. However, books lack the
varieties of contents and features that newspaper and magazines have.
Books are include in the definition
of mass communication because they have to be preview in newspaper and
magazines before many readers will know about them. Some new books are also
launch and recorded in radio and television news so that many audiences and
readers may know about them.
The technical means that advertising,
public relations and book publishing uses the (mass media) are the same
channels that journalism uses to reach audiences and readers with the news.
Azzoro (2004) observes that, media is
a lot. According to her, media is a business of news but it is also part of
other business - advertising and public relations etc. She reveals that total
2003 advertising spending in the United State was almost 249 million dollars.
And Azzoro points out that in the U.S.A. the advertising largely support the
media. Dominic (2002) agrees by noting that in the United State advertising
provide 75% of the media revenue. The mass media serves as a conductor channel
for marketers message. It is a deliberate system, whether we are thinking of a
newspaper, magazines, the internet, the radio or a television broadcasting
station.
Media is the business of transferring
content to an audience. Interested content is what attract audiences to the
media. The audiences then attract advertisers who want their advertisement to
be part of that content (news, drama, sports, or an entertainment program) .
The advertiser spend money to buy access through the media to communicate with
the audience who wants to buy the product and those advertisement helps to pay
for the media to enjoy. Sometimes, the advertising tends to be part of it as in
newspaper and magazines and sometimes all of it i.e. Radio and television
stations.
SIMILARITIES BETWEEN MASS COMMUNICATION AND JOURNALISM
* The first similarities between mass communication and
journalism is that both uses the media to transfer the information to the
audience.
* In mass communication and journalism the printing is what
copy copies of news the large audience.
DIFFERENCE AND SIMILARITIES BETWEEN JOURNALISM AND MASS
COMMUNICATION
Journalism and mass communication are
the same on one hand because both employ the mass media to reach vast audience
and readers. But on the other hand they differ because whereas,
journalism is primarily with news, mass communication further include
advertising, public relations and book publishing. You can say mass
communication is the tree and it branches are journalism, advertising, public
relations and books publishing.
Advertising, public relation and book
publishing are not journalism. But like journalism may have to pass through the
technical means of amplifying and spreading messages publicly in order to reach
the audience (buyers and other members of the public).
Mass communication helps to immensely
and massively to publicise the public relation activities and advertising,
Airforce or government, non-government organisation, prominent individuals and
business concern.
Mass communication can also ensure
good publishing because books are produce, (written, edited, illustrated,
layout and printed) like newspaper and magazines using the printing press.
However, books lack the varieties of contents and features that newspaper and
magazines have.
Books are include in the definition
of mass communication because they have to be preview in newspaper and
magazines before many readers will know about them. Some new books are also
launch and recorded in radio and television news so that many audiences and
readers may know about them.
The technical means that advertising,
public relations and book publishing uses the (mass media) are the same
channels that journalism uses to reach audiences and readers with the news.
Azzoro (2004) observes that, media is
alot. According to her, media is a business of news but it is also part of
other business - advertising and public relations etc. She reveals that total
2003 advertising spending in the United State was almost 249 million dollars.
And Azzoro points out that in the U.S.A. the advertising largely support the
media. Dominic (2002) agrees by noting that in the United State advertising
provide 75% of the media revenue. The mass media serves as a conductor channel
for marketers message. It is a deliberate system, whether we are thinking of a
newspaper, magazines, the internet, the radio or a television broadcasting
station.
Media is the business of transfering
content to an audiece. Interested content is what attract audiences to the
media. The audiences then attract advertisers who want their advertisement to
be part of that content (news, drama, sports, or an entertainment program) .
The advertiser spend money to buy access through the media to communicate with
the audience who wants to buy the product and those advertisement helps to pay
for the media to enjoy. Sometimes, the advertising tends to be part of it as in
newspaper and magazines and sometimes all of it i.e. Radio and television
stations.
SIMILARITIES BETWEEN MASS COMMUNICATION AND JOURNALISM
* The first similarities between mass communication and
journalism is that both uses the media to transfer the information to the
audience.
* In mass communication and journalism the printing is what
copy copies of news the large audience.
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