Characteristics & Functions of Mass Communication

Characteristics & Functions
of
Mass Communication
Characteristics of Mass communication
 The characteristic features of mass communication distinguishes it from
other forms of communication
 Characteristic features of mass communication are:
1. Impersonal
2. Mass Medium
3. Limited sensory channels
4. Rapid transmission of message
5. Gatekeeping
6. Delayed feedback
Impersonal
 No face-to-face interaction between sender & receiver
 Reasons:
- Multiple sender & large no. of receivers
- Sender-receiver anonymity
- Huge physical distance between sender & receiver
Mass medium
 Represents a technical channel to reach the public
 Mass medium is required due to the following reasons:

- Large no. of audience/receivers
- Quick dissemination of information
 Can be of various forms – print, electronic, new media, films, etc.
 Usually functions through media houses/organizations
 Wilbur Schramm terms mass media as ‘magic multipliers’

Limited sensory channels
 Only 2 human sensations are used – sight & sound

 Uses limited senses because of its huge magnitude and range –
multiplicity of communicators, the large number of receivers and the
huge geographical distance it covers
 Print media uses the sensation of sight
 Radio uses the sensation of sound
 TV, films & new media uses both the sensation of sight & sound
Rapid transmission of message
 Media message transmission occurs very quickly once it is prepared

 Rapid transmission is possible because messages are manufactured
and processed in bulk in highly professionalized and big media
organizations
 Rapid message transmission is necessary because:

1. Media need to meet the demand and supply chain
2. News & information comes all round the clock
Gatekeeping
 Gatekeeping is the process of filtering, selection and editing of news
information to transform into a final presentable message for the
audience/public
 Gatekeepers - sub editors, editors and proof readers
 Stages of gatekeeping process:

1. Information/news selection – On the basis of newsworthiness
2. Editing process – Rechecking, rewriting, structuring & designing for
final presentation
Delayed feedback
 Usually suppressed and delayed

 Eg. Letters to the editor, opinion, comments, answers, etc. through
letters, emails, SMS, phone calls, etc.
 Reasons for delayed feedback – multiple senders, large audience,
sender-receiver gap, quick & continuous supply of message
 Feedback in mass communication is the slowest of all communication
forms
Functions Of Mass Communication
 Mass communication has the following functions:
1. Surveillance
2. Interpretation
3. Linkage
4. Transmission of values
5. Education
6. Entertainment
Surveillance
 Also known as news & information function
 Providing news & information to the people through observation
 Reports are collected by media persons from various parts of world
 News reports are then prepared in media houses
 Two types of surveillance:
Warning • Information related to threats such as natural

Surveillance calamities, terrorist attack, riots, disease outbreak, etc.
Instrumental • Information related to day-to-day utility such as

surveillance product price, gold rate, new films, fashion trends, etc.
Interpretation
 Underlying meaning, in-depth explanation and significance of news
reports are dug out through interpretation
 Significance of interpretation:
1. Helps in better understanding of issues
2. Helps in forming public opinion & judgements
 Eg. News editorials, opinion articles, columns, news analysis, film
reviews, book reviews, debates & discussion programmes, etc.
Linkage
 Different parts/elements of the society are joined through linkage

 Linkage occurs in the following ways:
1. Linking groups of people geographically separated
2. Linking people with same interest
3. Linking sender & receiver
4. Linking people through emotions
 Overall linkage function brings socialization in the society

Fig: Socialization of people through linkage function
Transmission of values
 Media portrays different aspects of the society

 Societal values are transmitted through media & mass communication
↓
Cultural, traditional, social, family values, norms and societal ethics
 Eg. Films, documentaries, books, TV/radio programmes, folklores, etc.

Education
 Mass communication educates people through:

 news & information
 books
 research, discoveries & achievements
 quiz, talk/chat shows
 films, documentaries & TV/radio programmes
 YouTube, blogs, online forums
Entertainment
 Provides fun, relaxation & enjoyment in the form of entertainment

↓
Through gossips, humour, comedy, comics, song, dance, horoscopes,
lifestyle issues, films, dramas, etc.
 Entertainment is also a very subjective term

↓
For instance, a message can be information for one person but at the
same time, the same can be entertainment for another person

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Characteristics & Functions

 No face-to-face interaction between sender & receiver

 Mass medium is required due to the following reasons:

 Can be of various forms – print, electronic, new media, films, etc.

 Usually functions through media houses/organizations

 Wilbur Schramm terms mass media as ‘magic multipliers’

 Only 2 human sensations are used – sight & sound

 Print media uses the sensation of sight

 Radio uses the sensation of sound

 Media message transmission occurs very quickly once it is prepared

 Rapid message transmission is necessary because:

 Gatekeepers - sub editors, editors and proof readers

 Stages of gatekeeping process:

 Usually suppressed and delayed

Warning • Information related to threats such as natural

Instrumental • Information related to day-to-day utility such as

 Different parts/elements of the society are joined through linkage

 Overall linkage function brings socialization in the society

 Media portrays different aspects of the society

 Eg. Films, documentaries, books, TV/radio programmes, folklores, etc.

 Mass communication educates people through:

 Provides fun, relaxation & enjoyment in the form of entertainment

 Entertainment is also a very subjective term

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