Mass Communication Meaning, Scope and Media
Introduction:
The ability to discuss different forms of communication can itself take different forms. At best, when we commit to a form for the discussion, we are able to take responsibility for how it works. Mass Communication is often recognised as a backbone of our society. It is believed and said that it would be hard to develop a modern society without its active involvement. These days a number of institutes offering mass communication to the young generation and help them to achieve their goals in the field of media, journalism, advertising, radio, public relation etc. Communication is the process of exchange of thoughts messages or information as by speech, visuals, signals, writing or behaviour. Communication requires a sender, a message and a receiver, thus communication can occur across vast distances in time and space. Communication requires that the communicating people share an area of common interest and ideas.
Mass Communication:
Mass Communication is the term used to describe the academic study of the means by which individuals and people relay information through mass media to large segments of the population in a time. Mass Communication is related to news paper, magazine, radio, television and film etc. Mass Communication has in shaping culture; it presents us with opportunities, responsibilities and knowledge. Both technology and money shape the mass communication process. Communication between a mass media and its audience is mass communication; it is primarily contribution to the construction and maintenance of culture.
Meaning
Mass Communication is the delivery of messages to general public by using mass media such as press, radio and television. Mass Communication is the process of creating shared meaning between the mass media and the audiences. Mass Communication is which reaches the large number of people like crowd. (Schramm recast his and Osgood) general model of communication to help us visualise the particular aspects of the mass communication process. Mass Communication process is complete when the receiver understands the message of the sender, which is sent through the channels like verbally or nonverbally to the mass.
Scope:
India’s media is one of the vibrant, strong and independent Medias of the world, which is the global platform and has been growing rapidly since its establishment. Mass Communication includes not only journalism but a whole set of other verticals like advertising, public relation, corporate communication, press, media, radio, television etc. Thus offering a wide opportunity for the youths which can be taken up as a career. Mass communication as a career path which directly helps in the requirement of mass communication courses. The mass communication in India is developing and will become as one of the most assuring fields of career and education. The mass communication industry of India is also set to make its place as a very an important part of the global media and entertainment sector. The rapid changes which calls for well trained and highly knowledgeable professionals who can take the mass communication to the next level. To train these growing professionals, there is an equally important in need of good mass communication institutes in India.
Now a days a large number of universities, both the government and private as well as institutes which offers vast number of courses in the field of mass communication in India. Those who have done their graduation in different fields and decided to take up a career in the mass communication. Later in their life, they can go for a variety of post graduation degrees or diplomas which are offered by the reputed universities in India. There are also several certificate programmes or courses with the duration of six months or it takes one year, so which can helpful in directly taking them into the field of mass communication in India. There are large numbers of universities which have come up with the purposeful programmes like distance learning courses or full time diplomas like PGDMC etc, which are designed for the up coming youths who do not have the time or need to take up a full time or a regular course. So those, who wanted to build a purposeful, successful and fruitful career in the stream of mass communication in India, should prepare themselves to face a very demanding, challenging industry. This need can be effectively met by selecting for an interesting or suitable course or programme which professionals not only teaches the theoretical aspects but also teaches a hard practical training.
The main aim of the well mass communication courses in India is to build up a future of the youths in the field of media and make them responsible and to understand their obligations towards the society and the community as a whole. The upcoming youths who are professional in the field of mass communication or media should be true to their profession and show almost full dedication in their career of bringing correct and quality information to the large number of people. No matter how we choose to view the process of mass communication, it is impossible to deny that an enormous portion of our lives is spent interacting with mass media.
If you are one of the youth dreaming of making it big in the field of mass communication, then choose for the right course and work hard for the fulfilment of the career in the field of mass communication in India.
Media:
Mass media is media which reaches for the large number of people. Where as it may take place in the form of broad cast media. The mass media are television, radio, print media, newspapers, magazines, where internet media can also attain the mass media. In media we have got advantages as well as disadvantages. For example television is one of the mass media, where large number of people watch, but through watching television most of the violence or crime are taking place in the society. Not only disadvantages, we can find there are advantages like news channels, quiz, entertainments which are good means which doesn’t cause violence or crime in the society at large.
Through mass media awareness can be given to the individuals, group, community and society as a whole. Mass media which shows the culture of the country, which enriches the lives of the people. Through media we can understand properly the process of mass communication. By mass media the illiterate person can also become the literate person.
People often think of mass media as the news, but mass media also includes entertainment like television shows, books and films etc. Through mass media educational programmes can be seen like quiz, debate, stress interviews etc. Political communications including propaganda are also frequently seen through the mass media. Through mass media public can come to know about various issues which are related to the society or nation. Mass media is a critical part of human societies. Understanding the mass media is usually key concept to understand a population and culture of the society and nation. One of the biggest criticisms of the mass media is that it is too topical. When a media outlet is forced to cover national and international news, it cannot address numerous interesting local stories because these stories are not of interest to many viewers.
Magazines were a favourite medium of the people, where they come to know about the various aspects clearly. Whereas trade professional and business make use of magazines. Through mass media people will increase their ability of thinking critically about the issue or the problem of the society as a whole. Mass media increases the skills, interest, ideas; abilities etc of the people and make people knowledgeable. It is crucial that media be credible in a democracy in which the people govern because the media are central to the governing process. People can develop or heightened their expectation through mass media. Here people can learn various languages. Closely related to the concentration of media ownership is globalization. Printed materials were the first mass media produced product. Literacy was about crossing the lines that had historically separated men of ideas from ordinary people, about the enfianchiscmant of those who had been excluded from the compensations of citizenship.
The book is the least mass of our mass media in audience reach and in the magnitude of the industry itself, and this fact shapes the nature of the relationship between media and audience. As the medium least dependent on advertiser support, books can be aimed at extremely small groups of readers, challenging them and their imaginations in ways that many people would find in unacceptable in advertising based mass media. Books are the main agents of the social, economic, cultural, and political changes. Through books culture and tradition of the nation can be known. Our personnel development can be improved through books. Books are the wonderful sources of entertainment of the people.
As the number of media outlets grows and has advances in technology increase the complexity of dealing with people, clients, public relations require help in understanding the various media, in preparing and organizing materials for them, and in placing those materials. In addition, media requires that the public relations professionals maintain good relationship with professionals in the media, understand their dead lines and other constraints and earn their trust.
Reference:
Stanley.J.Baran; 2010; Introduction to Mass Communication Media Literacy and Culture; Fifth edition; Tata McGraw Hill Education Private Limited, New Delhi.
Thank you.
shreenavya 