Perspectives On Mass

Communication
Introduction

 We study mass communication for variety of reasons. For the scholars, mass
communication is the study of comprehending and designing theories for its operation.
Critics study it for improving its functions. Media consumers study it for the better
understanding of media processing, analyzing and evaluating of information presented to
mass media.
 The paradigm( pattern to better understand used by someone ) for understanding the
process of mass communication is useful for many reasons like :
 Consistent perspective for the examination of mass comm.
 Produces concept that useful for us to understand behavior of media.
 To specify the importance of information to be conveyed.
Functional and Critical Approach

 Functional Approach:
The process in which we examine how the audience benefits from the consumption of
information provided to them by media.

 Critical Approach:
The process in which we examine how the audience interprets and uses the information
presented to them by media.
Role of Mass Communication

 Mass Communication plays a very crucial role in our society. The best way to appreciate
its role is to imagine what if all of a sudden this whole system disappears. How would we
know about the conditions of our country. How will we know the famous singers or even
any kind of music. How would we know if there is any bomb blast or strikes.
We can view the role of mass communication in two ways. First is Macro analysis. This
viewpoint includes that we look at the general side of mass communications’ role. This tells us
about the apparent intention and purpose of mass communication. The second type in which
we look through a close-up lens at the individual receivers of the contents, the audience and
ask them to report how they use mass media. This approach is called Micro-analysis.
 Functions of Mass Communication for Society

 Surveillance
• News and information role of the media
• Warning or threat surveillance includes that we are warned about attacks, natural
disasters and etc.
• Instrumental surveillance includes information that is helpful and useful in everyday life
i.e. ads, new products, fashion ideas etc.
• Consequences of relying on mass media with surveillance are: News travel fast but speed
sometimes leads to problems. Inaccuracies and distortions also move fast.
Secondly, mass media can create unnecessary anxiety. Also people believe that “if you matter
you will be covered by media. And if you are covered you will matter.” So people try their
best to get coverage by media.
 Interpretation
• Media organizations select those events that need time, space and prominence
because not everything that happens around can be included in the newspaper.
• An example of interpretation is the added perspective on the editorial pages in
newspapers for the readers.
• The consequences of mass media using this function are that: people are exposed
to more than one opinion making way for more ideas and more ways to look at
something.
• The dysfunctions of this are that there is no proof that the interpretations made by
the editors or writers are accurate and valid. Secondly, one may totally depend on
this and fail to think about issues by themselves.
 Linkage
• The media has an ability to join different elements of society that are not directly
connected. i.e mass advertising attempts to link needs of buyers with products of sellers.
• The other type of linkage occurs when geographically separated groups that share a
common interest are linked by media. i.e websites, newsgroups and chat rooms on internet.
• The harmful consequences of linkage function terrorists and other hate groups can make
people join their cause on internet by password protected sites.
 Transmissions of values
• Also known as socialization function is the process in which an individual adopts behavior
and values of a group or society.
• Mass media is an important factor in socialization, by listening and reading, we learn
supposed act of people and our important values. i.e media portrays motherhood as a
positive thing.
• Common values and experiences are passed down.
 TV and socialization
• Tv probably has the greatest capacity or potential for socialization.
• This medium can function as a source of knowledge about occupation.
• Dysfunctions include that many television programs contain violence and it has been
feared that youth which watches such programs might accept violence as a legal method of
solving problems.
 Entertainment
• Motion pictures (films, TV shows, dramas) and sound recordings (tapes, CDs etc.) are
committed primarily in entertainment.
• Radio is also a part of entertainment. Some radio stations may have 100% news others
have none.
• Magazines also have little entertainment.
• The scope of entertainment in media is inspiring e.g approximately 70million people in
USA have paid money to watch Lord of The Rings.
• With help of mass media large number of people can have entertainment at less cost.
• Consequence is that people sit back and let other people entertain them i.e instead of
playing football we can watch it on TV.
How People Use the Mass Media

(Microanalysis)
Functional approach is uses and gratifications model that states audiences have needs and
desires that are satisfied by media and non-media sources.
Four category system:
1. Cognition
2. Diversion
2. Social utility
3. Withdrawal
 Cognition
The act of coming to Know something
Using the media to learn something
Example: current events, news
• People use the media in a cognitive way when they want to understand world
• Many people give following reasons for using the media:
1. They want to keep up their selves about government actions.
2. They want to understand what's going on in the world.
3. They want to know political activities.
 Diversion
Using the media to take our attention elsewhere.
Three major forms of diversion;
 Stimulation: seeking relief from boredom or the routine activities of every day life(I watch TV
because I m bored, this special on the History Channel interests me)
 Relaxation: escape from the pressures and problems of the day like (Had a really stressful day
at school).
 Emotional Release: Media consumption as catharsis(the process of releasing stressed emotions)
 Social Utility
It describes the human need to strengthen contact with family members, friends, our entire
social group

 Conversational currency: using media as common ground for connecting with others e.g.
Did you see the Avengers?
What did you think of superbowl commercials?
 Para-social relationship: the phenomenon where people develop one sided relationships
with media characters
Example; fans of a band, people who have favorite American Idol contestants, etc.
 Withdrawal
It Describes using the media to create a barrier between themselves and other people.
For example “I’ll do that after I’m done watching my show”.
 Here attending to mass media content is defined as a socially appropriate behavior that should not
be interrupted.
 People also use the media to create a buffer zone between themselves and others.
 When you are riding a bus or sitting in a public place and do not want to be disturbed ,you bury
your head in a book, magazine, or newspaper. 
 If you are on an airplane you might pop in your iPod ear buds and tune everybody out.
 Television can perform this same function at home by isolating adults from children (Don’t disturb
Daddy; he’s watching the game) Or Children from adults (“Don’t bother me now; go into other
room and watch sesame Street”.)
 Critical/Cultural Studies
 History
Beginning of critical studies started from Frankfurt School during 1930’s and 1940’s. It was
a group of intellectuals committee to the ideas of Karl Marx. The core of Marxist approach
was the best way to understand how the society works and to examine that who controls the
means of production. The members of Frankfurt School extended the Marxist analysis into
the cultural side of the society. They thought that big firms controlled the production of
economic goods and big companies controlled the production of cultural goods. The radio,
motion pictures, studios, newspaper and magazine publishers and later the television
business all adopted the capitalist model of production. However, the Frankfurt school
thought that the cultural industry exploited the masses just as capitalists (the one who own
factories where goods are produced) did.
The next important stage in the development of critical approach took place in the
great Britain during 1950’s and 1960’s. Scholars in the time noted that the British
working class used the products of mass culture to define their own identities
through the way they dressed, music they listened to, etc.
Audience members took the products of mass culture, produce their own meaning
and create new definitions of their self-image. Therefore, British film critics impose
a theory suggested that techniques used in the films impose on the audience the
meaning preferred by the film maker. Later this theory was amended to
acknowledge that TV shows and film could try to impose their preferred meaning on
people but people are free to produce their meaning of what they saw.
The critical approach gained prominence in United States during 1970’s and 1980’s
and was adopted by communication and scholars.
 Concepts
• Cultural studies, naturally enough, broadens the study of mass communication to
encompass the notion of culture.
• Culture is studied through practices and texts of everyday life. A text is an object of
analysis. They(texts) can be traditional media contents such as TV programs, films, ads or
books.
• Texts have meaning, the interpretations that audience members take away with them.
• Texts contain Ideology. It is defined as a specific set of ideas or beliefs, particularly
regarding social and political subjects.
• Hegemony has to do with power relationships and dominance. This creates the positions
of superior and inferior. This division is unstable and continuously being negotiated
through interpretations of meanings.
Conclusion

 Some friction exists between those who chose the traditional effects/ functional approaches
and those who adopt the critical approach.
 This dispute seems unnecessary since these various paradigms ask different questions
about media and society and use different tools.
 Each approach can learn from the other.
 All the approaches are important in order to understand the complicated relationships
between mass communication and its audience.