Assignment Paper 15
Mass communication & Media studies
Ajit A. Kaliya
M.A. Sem. 4
Roll No.1
Enrollment No. 2069108420170013
Batch: 2016-18
Email- kaliyaajitbhai@gmail.com
Department Of English, MKBU
Department Of English, MKBU
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Characteristics of mass communication
What is mass communication?
Mass communication is the study
of how people exchange information through mass media to large segments of the
population at the same time. In other words, mass communication refers to the
imparting and exchanging of information on a large scale to a wide range of
people. It is usually understood to relate newspaper, magazine, and book
publishing, as well as radio, television and film, even via internet 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 number 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
of transmitting messages to a large number of scattered audiences.
Through mass communication,
information can be transmitted quickly to a large number of people who
generally stay far away from the sources of information. Mass communication is
done through many mediums, such as radio, television, social networking,
billboards, and newspapers. (Mass communication)
In mass communication source is
type of the information. Is it ad, writing, show, or audio? Media is what
sender uses for communication. It can be TV, radio, newspaper, magazine,
website or anything which is effective for the selected information. By
different kind of media this information reaches to the audience.
Characteristics of Mass communication:
Mass communication has its own
characteristics. Mass Medias are powerful tools for sending information to the
mass easily. People all around the world like it and using it. Advertisers and
production companies know what people want and they serve accordingly. Mass
Medias have proved themselves very useful. Let us see several characteristics
of mass communication.
1. Omnipresent
2. Omnipotent
3. Intrusive
4. Attractive
5. Alluring
6. Heterogeneous audiences:
7. Use of electronic media and technology:
1. Omnipresent:
Meaning of omnipresent is to
present everywhere. Mass media s is very popular. They are adopted by people
from around the world. They are everywhere from this end of the earth to the
opposite end of the earth. TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, books, films,
internet all these things can be found today in every country. And in a country
city to village everywhere those things can be found. It is not a new thing.
When new technology arrives in market people accept it. Today some mass Medias
are very popular and people of all ages use them. For example, TV, mobile
phones and internet. So advertisement companies, production houses and
government can reach their messages to the large amount of the people at once.
Today TV is everywhere. Popular shows reach to the mass at the same time. Newspapers
are also everywhere. It gives same news to all different people. Today almost
everyone have mobile phone in their hand. Many of them use internet.
So, all these mass Medias are
everywhere. They can be found in every place. In house, in offices, in schools,
in library, in hospitals, and everywhere. So, mass Medias are omnipresent.
2. Omnipotent:
Meaning of omnipotent is all
powerful. Mass communication is very powerful. It has power to communicate with
mass and make them believe what sender of the message want. If one person talks
to other, it will not make effect but if same thing is said on any mass media
then most of the people will start to believe. It is the power of mass media.
That is why use of TV and newspapers for ads are increasing. Today door to door
advertisement does not work. Use of mass media for communication is necessary
to send message to the audience. One has to recognize power of mass
communication. What makes mass communication powerful is that is combination of
its other characteristics. It attracts people, it can reach at any place, it is
present everywhere, and it has quality of excitement. Those features make mass
communication very powerful. Most of the mass media today has audio visual
quality. This characteristic is very powerful as it helps to reach the message
to illiterate people also. Therefore mass communication is powerful enough to
reach the message to mass.
3. Intrusive:
Mass media are intrusive. Means
it can enter anywhere. For example TV and mobile phone. These tools have made
their place in every house. Mobile phones are in every hand with internet. And
an important thing is that these things are not forcefully applied but people
have adapted those tools. It is humankind’s innate nature to adapt the things
which they feel useful or entertaining. Gramophones, radio, audiotape, all were
very popular at their time. Today TV, mobile phones and cinema are popular. TV
shows, films and advertisements reach anywhere through mass Medias. So today message
can easily enter anywhere and that is why mass media is intrusive.
4. Attractive:
People adapt the things which
they attract towards them. When advertisement company, film company or
production company want to produce something and want to reach to the audience
effectively, the first thing should be kept in mind that it should be attractive.
People often do not buy the thing which they really need them or find useful
but they see or buy the things which attract them. Different types of ads are
capable to attract people because they know how to attract mass. Attracting
mass is the first need to get benefit. If you fail to attract mass you will
lose the audience. To attract mass sender uses different ways. For example if
advertisement is in print media like poster or banner the colors of that should
be bright and contrast with each other. Cartoons, TV serials, movies attract
mass much. They serve people what they want. And so people attract toward them.
5. Alluring:
Alluring means quality of
excitement. Mass communication has quality of excitement. How much the product
will get success depends on how much it can excite audience. Audience will not
rush to buy the product if advertisement is poor and does not excite mass. Cartoons
are so much popular because it has quality to excite audience. Soap operas also
are very popular because it has power to stick audience with TV. Social Medias
are everybody’s favorite because everyday new entertaining or exciting stuffs
can be found. Nobody likes boring things. The more the thing has quality of
exciting others, the more it becomes popular. Mass communication has this
quality of alluring others and that is why mass communication and different types
of mass media are very effective today.
6. Heterogeneous audiences: The audiences of mass
communication are not only large in number but also heterogeneous and anonymous
in nature. Its audiences may belong to different ages, religions, sections and
groups.
7. Use of electronic media and technology:
Mass communication relies on
mechanical or electronic media to address large and diverse audiences. The
media include radio, television, films, newspaper, posters, leaflets etc. Mass
communication does not take place through face to face or telephonic
conversation. Modern mass communication requires the use of various specialized
modern technologies such as computer, computer network, fax, mobile phones,
broadcasting media, printing devices etc. for effective preparation and
distribution of message. (Characteristics of Mass
Communication)
Conclusion:
Thus mass communication differs
from other types of communications. It is very effective because of its
different powerful characteristics. Mass communication is powerful to reach
message to audience at once, it spreads everywhere, it can enter anywhere and
reach to the remote places also, it is attractive, and it excites people.
Because of these characteristics today mass communication is used by various
purposes.
Works Cited
Characteristics of Mass Communication. 26 March 2018
<https://thebusinesscommunication.com/characteristics-of-mass-communication/>.
Mass communication. 24 March 2018. 24 March 2018
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_communication>.