Define the terms “massa”, “massakommunikasie” and “massamedia”.
Mass media is further discussed in detail in KCOM111.
Importance of Mass Media
Mass media is an important communication context.
It affects the way we think and perceive the world.
To some extent, we are even shaped by mass media.
It is important to note the effects of this mass communication context on individuals and cultures.
Mass Communication
Definition: The process of providing information, ideas, and attitudes to a large and diverse audience by means of a medium intended for it.
Enables communication to send messages from a single source that are distributed to and received by a large, mixed audience.
Mass Media
Enable communication to be sent from a single source and distributed and received by a large, mixed audience.
Definition: ‘mass media are the cultural industries—the channels of communication—that produce and distribute songs, novels, TV shows, newspapers, movies, video games, Internet services, and other cultural products to large numbers of people.’
Example:
Newspapers and news channels – managed in one location in Johannesburg but received by a larger audience across S.A
Mass Communication Considerations:
Need to understand how people react to media
Media influence social, political, economic, and cultural systems
Impact can be:
Immediate / Long term
Useful / Harmful
Deliberate / Unintended consequences
Influence on the audience
The Process of Mass Communication:
Interpersonal Communication
Face to face
Sender and receiver
Transactional process with feedback
React to verbal and nonverbal communication
Meeting with person
Mass Communication
Uses complex technology
Organization/team and mass audience
Sender does not know the audience and does not engage in interaction with them
Messages are not personally aimed at individuals – the audience is too diverse