Assignment: Mass Communication and Media Studies

 

Ø Name:- Sanjaykumar N Jogadiya.

Ø Subject:- Mass Communication and Media Studies

Ø Paper No.15

Ø Topic:- Functions of Mass Communication

     Ø Part:- M.A. Sem-4

Ø RollNo.24,   

Ø EnrollmentNo:-2069108420200017

Ø  Email Id:- snjogadiya@amail.com

Ø  Submitted:- Smt. S.B. Gardi Department of  English  MK Bhavnagar  University.

Functions of Mass Communication

 

      

    

Communication is vital for human existence, and for the progress of humanity. No society can move ahead without interacting with others. It is difficult for a person to survive a single day without interacting with others. Solitary confinement is the biggest punishment a person can ever receive in a lifetime. We all know that mass communication is a process of sharing messages to a large number of audiences through some forms of technology at a time. And some forms of technology used to spread messages is the media. The primary functions of communications are to inform, instruct, educate, entertain and influence or persuade people. Besides these primary functions, communication has some secondary functions such as debates, discussions, cultural promotion etc. The focus of functionalism is on how mass communication serves society and fails to account for how humans interact with mass communication and construct meanings from messages. The focus on maintaining the existing social order and not allowing for any meaningful change has also been criticized.

 

 

1. Information Function

Quality of life will be poor without information. The more informed we are the more powerful we become. The first function of mass communication is to serve as the eyes and ears for those seeking information about the world. The internet, televisions, and newspapers are the main sources for finding out what’s going around you.Society relies on mass communication for news and information about our daily lives, it reports the weather, current issues, the latest celebrity gossip, and even start times for games.

Communication provides information about our surroundings. Information updates us on various matters related to our day today activities. Information related to health, wars, danger, crisis etc are important for the safety and well being of our life.

2. Education and Instruction Function

Education starts early in life, at home and in school and continues throughout the life. Communication provides knowledge, expertise and skill for smooth functioning by people in the society. It creates awareness and gives opportunity to people to actively participate in public life.

3. Entertainment Function

Entertainment is an essential part of everybody’s life today. Communication provides endless entertainment experience through films, television, radio drama, literature, comedy, games etc. Media outlets such as People Magazine, TMZ, and entertainment blogs such as Perez Hilton keep us up to date on the daily comings and goings of our favorite celebrities. We use technology to watch sports, go to the movies, play video games, watch YouTube videos,  on a daily basis. Most mass communication simultaneously entertains and informs. People often turn to media during our leisure time to provide an escape from boredom and relief from the predictability of our everyday lives. We rely on media to take us places we could not afford to go or imagine, acquaints us with bits of culture, and make us laugh, think or cry. Entertainment can have the secondary effect of providing companionship and/or catharsis through the media we consume.

4. Persuasion function

Communication helps to change attitudes and also reinforce or strengthen existing values and beliefs. Communication helps in reaching a decision in public policy, so that it helps to govern people. Political leaders persuade voters to vote in favor of their respective political party through various campaigns, leaflets, booklets etc.

5. Cultural promotion function

Communication provides an opportunity for transmission of cultural heritage; promotion and preservation of culture and tradition. It makes the people fulfill their creative urges. There is an old saying in the news industry “if it bleeds, it leads,” which highlights the idea of Sensationalization. Sensationalization is when the media puts forward the most sensational messages to titillate consumers. Elliot observes, “Media managers think in terms of consumers rather than citizens. Good journalism sells, but unfortunately, bad journalism sells as well. And, bad journalism-stories that simply repeat government claims or that reinforce what the public wants to hear instead of offering independent reporting -is cheaper and easier to produce”

6. Integration function

It is through communication large number of people across the world come to know about each other’s tradition and learn to appreciate their way of life. It develops integration and tolerance towards each other. Mass communication functions to validate the status and norms of particular individuals, movements, organizations, or products. The validation of particular people or groups serves to enforce social norms.

 The media validates particular cultural norms while diminishing differences and variations from those norms. A great deal of criticism focuses on how certain groups are promoted, and others marginalized by how they are portrayed in mass media.

 

7. Discussion Function

Debates and discussions clarify different viewpoints on issues of interest to the people. Mass communication functions to validate the status and norms of particular individuals, movements, organizations, or products. The validation of particular people or groups serves to enforce social norms. The media validates particular cultural norms while diminishing differences and variations from those norms. A great deal of criticism focuses on how certain groups are promoted, and others marginalized by how they are portrayed in mass media. Through communication, we find out reasons for varying viewpoints and impart new ideas to others. Types of communication The act of communication can be categorized on the basis of 1).how many people are involved in the process, 2) signs and symbols we use in communication. Based on the number of persons involved in communication, it is classified as follows,

A properly evaluated, wisely selected, and correctly prescribed mass media – newspaper, radio, and TV. Teaching is an exciting and challenging career, full of personal rewards and a chance to encourage and support others to achieve their maximum potential. We get great deals of information from the different forms of media such as newspapers, films and documentaries, journals, radio, motion pictures, and more. Mass media plays a vital role in forming and reflecting public opinion, connecting the world to individuals, and reproducing the self-image of society. The mass media still plays a vital role in the social learning process and has power over how individuals acquire new ideas, attitudes and change direction in society. Mass communication doesn’t exist for a single purpose. With its evolution, more and more uses have developed and the role it plays in our lives has increased greatly. Wright characterizes seven functions of mass communication that offer insight into its role in our lives.