Five...

Hi everyone!!

This time, I will post an entry about MASS COMMUNICATION............

What is that?

Mass Communication is a form of communication through which institutional sources address relatively large, heterogenous and anynomous audiences physically separated from one another...

Institutional sources are the media sources such as newspapers, magazines, radio, TVs, etc. We are familiar with these, we see and use them everyday. For most of us, media is essential, we cannot live without it. I agree with this.... :D

Media adresses its contents to everyone, to any level of the society. That's why we are called as invisible receivers. We do not have direct relationship with the media sources, they do not know us, the same with us. Therefore, the messages must fulfil the needs of the public, cannot be addressed to a specific person or group.

The medium to transmit the message is different in each media source. Every media has its own way to send the message to public. Some medias may require the receivers to have a technology skill, such as electronic equipments. Books, newspapers, magazines are the easiest medias to be used. They only require us to have the ability to read.............

Media messages will change overtime, one message will replace another one and so on. It will move on as time goes by.........

Why do you use media? (please give your answers in the comment's box,, thx)

There are some theories in mass media.....................

The first one is Powerful Effects Theory (Magic Bullet Theory), this was used in the 20s/30s era. It was popular after the second world war. In this theory, the media is powerful while the audiences are powerless. Audiences will do or eact on desired behaviours expected by the media. We're controlled by the media.

The second theory is Limited Effects Theory (Uses and Gratification Theory). It was introduced in 1950s/60s. This theory is the opposite of the first one. The media is powerless while the audiences are powerful. The audiences have the "strength" to resist the media messages. They use media for some reasons, to gain more information, to improve personal identity, build stronger relationship, to escape from something,etc. They use media according to their needs.

The third theory is Moderate Effects Theory. The strength of the media and the audiences are almost the same. The media has the power to influence the audiences and the audiences have the power to select or resist the media.

What media messages can do to the public?

There is a term called "Agenda Setting Function", it is the ability of the media to raise the importance of an issue in public's mind. Media tells us what to talk about in daily life. The power of the media to influence us depends on our experiences too. If they are talking about something that we do not related to, we tend to ignore that message.

Media messages are hegemonic, media favour people with economic and political power. The powerless group can do nothing, they just keep silent. They influence public's mind to bring benefit to them. The powerless groups may feel discriminated and not comfortable.

Here are some advertisements that I found interesting.............................

'Make the internet a safe place’. That’s the message launched by IG to aware the public about the importance of parental control in the internet. Created by Brazilian advertising agency Neogama in Brazil.

This persuades you to buy this brand of ketchup.

This is an anti-smoking advertisement, it is sticked in the upper part of a public smoking area..

I will update the continuation of this in the next entry......... Enjoy your weekend........

Please leave some comments,, thank you.......:D