Mass Communication FC-201(2) Prof. In Charge-Dr. Ghata Shukla Definition of Mass Communication: • It is the process whereby media organizations produce and transmit messages to large publics and the process by which those messages are sought, used, understood, and influenced by audience. • Mass Communication is generally identified with tools of modern mass media, which includes books, the press, cinema, television, radio, the internet, etc. It is a means of conveying messages to an entire populace. It also includes the speeches delivered by a prophet or a political leader. What is Mass Media • Mass media means technology that is intended to reach a mass audience. It is the primary means of communication used to reach the vast majority of the general public. The most common platforms for mass media are newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and the Internet. • Mass media encompasses much more than just news, although it is sometimes misunderstood in this way. It can be used for various purposes: for instance, advocacy, both for business and social concerns. This can include advertising, marketing, propaganda, public relations, and political communication. Uses/Usages of Mass Communication • Inform People • Build Public Opinion • Persuade • Circulate Government Policies • Disseminate Health and Education Programs • Provide Pleasure and Entertainment • Establish Social Contact and Linkage • Help in Facing Disaster and Calamity • Highlight the Diplomatic Role • Promote Political Ideologies Functions of Mass Communication • Information • Education • Entertainment • Surveillance • Mobilization • Correlation of parts of society • Cultural transmission Effects of Mass Communication • Mass communication is capable of causing learning to take place and of changing attitudes and opinions in their audiences. • The extent of the learning and changes are limited by the related variables in the situation. • Effects are of various types and gradations • Effects can be short-term, medium-term or long-term • Effects can be deep in cases of emotional involvement • Or can be superficial in case of fashion, mannerism and life style Positive Effects/the pros/advantages of Mass Communication • It Can Keep Us Connected • It Can Spur Business • It Can Spread Art and Culture • It Can Give Voice to the Voiceless • One of the positive effects that social media has on our communication is that it allows for us to easily and instantaneously communicate to the masses. The fast pace of the social media environment creates a sense of need to communicate and interact at a high speed in order to keep up with those around you. Negative Effects/disadvantages of Mass Media • Can Empower the already Powerful • Can Be Used for Disinformation and Hate • Can Normalize the Culture for exp. Violence and vulgarity • Can Overtake Personal Connections • Can increase depression or anxiety over body image • Increased risk of obesity from inactivity. • Decreased attention to study What is NEWS News is the information about current events. This may be provided through many different media: word of mouth, printing, postal systems, broadcasting, electronic communication, or through the testimony of observers and witnesses to events. • One study concluded, “although there are exceptions to every rule, we have found that news stories must generally satisfy one or more of the following requirements” if they are to be selected: 1. The power elite: Stories concerning powerful individuals, organizations or institutions. 2. Celebrity: Stories concerning people who are already famous. 3. Entertainment: Stories concerning sex, showbusiness, human interest, animals, an unfolding drama, or offering opportunities for humorous treatment, entertaining photographs or witty headlines. 4. Surprise: Stories that have an element of surprise and/or contrast. 5. Good news: Stories with particularly positive overtones, such as rescues and cures. 6. Magnitude: Stories that are perceived as sufficiently significant either in the numbers of people involved or in potential impact. 7. Relevance: Stories about issues, groups and nations perceived to be relevant to the audience. 8. Follow-up: Stories about subjects already in the news. 9. Newspaper agenda: Stories that set or fit the news organization's own agenda What is a newspaper? A newspaper is a serial publication which contains news on current events of special or general interest. It makes the general public aware about what 's going on around the world. Technically, a newspaper is a periodical publication which is usually issued on daily or weekly basis Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as politics, business, sports and art, and often include materials such as opinion columns, weather forecasts, reviews of local services, obituaries, birth notices, crosswords, editorial cartoons, comic strips, and advice columns. Types of newspaper • In the world of print journalism, the two main formats for newspapers are broadsheet and tabloid. Strictly speaking, these terms refer to the page sizes of such papers, but the different formats have distinct histories and associations. What is the difference between a tabloid and a newspaper? • Tabloid: A smaller than standard newspaper which focuses on less "serious" content, especially celebrities, sports, and sensationalist crime stories. Broadsheet: A standard or full-sized newspaper that takes a serious look at major news stories. The parts of newspaper Newspaper Sections and Terms • Front Page. The first page of a newspaper includes the title, all the publication information, the index, and the main stories that will capture the most attention • Folio • News Article • Feature Articles • Editor • Editorials • Editorial Cartoons • Letters to the Editor Role of the editor • An editor is the 'boss' of a newspaper and is ultimately responsible for what is published. Editors oversee the work of all the newspaper staff. They allocate space for articles, photographs, advertisements, etc. and decide which stories make it into each edition. • The editor is called the soul of the newspaper. • Press sub-editors, or subs, check the written text of newspapers, magazines or websites before they're published. They're responsible for ensuring the correct grammar, spelling, house style and tone of published work. Subs make sure that the copy is factually correct and suits its target market. Yellow journalism • Yellow journalism is a style of newspaper reporting that emphasized sensationalism over facts. The term originated in the competition over the New York City newspaper market between major newspaper publishers Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst. • What information is mostly covered in yellow journalism? • Yellow journalism might include exaggerating facts or spreading rumors. Yellow press newspapers have several columns and front-page headlines about different types of news, such as sports and scandals. They use bold layouts (with large illustrations and perhaps color), and stories reported using unnamed sources. Media Ethics The most common elements of media ethics are truthfulness, accuracy, objectivity, impartiality, fairness, and public accountability, as these apply to the acquisition of newsworthy information and its subsequent dissemination to the public. • What are the ethics of broadcasting/telecasting? • It is independent and impartial. Broadcasting seeks to establish the truth of what has happened and are committed to achieving due accuracy. Accuracy is not simply a matter of getting facts right; when necessary, it is the weight of relevant facts and information to get at the truth. History of TV and Radio in India • Terrestrial television in India started with the experimental telecast starting in Delhi on 15 September 1959 with a small transmitter and a makeshift studio. Daily transmission began in 1965 as a part of All India Radio (AIR). Television service was later extended to Bombay and Amritsar in 1972. • Who introduced radio in India? It was launched by Mir Osman Ali Khan the 7th Nizam of Hyderabad with a transmitting power of 200 Watts. On 1 April 1950, Deccan Radio was taken over by the Indian Government, and in 1956 it was merged with All India Radio (AIR). • According to an agreement on 23 July 1927, the private Indian Broadcasting Company Ltd (IBC) was authorized to operate two radio stations: the Bombay station which began on 23 July 1927, and the Calcutta station which followed on 26 August 1927.
