Mass communication is the study of how individuals and entities relay information through mass media to large segments of the population at the same time.

TYPES OF MASS COMM:
- radio
- online
- telephone
- television (news)
- visual communication
- printed media (books, pamphlets, newspaper, magazines)
- physical media (interviews, focus groups)
- viral communication (from the word of mouth)
- mechanical media (personal letters, tailored to your needs)

→ WHICH OF THESE
- BEARS RESPONSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC
- WHICH INFORMS, ENTERTAIN AND PERSUADE
- CONNECT COMMUNITIES?

MEDIUM OF MASS COMMUNICATION
1. news and information (e.g. by using Facebook or Twitter, etc, to share information & for readers to be “connected and informed”)
2. discussion of opinions
3. cultural transmissions (e.g. keeping diverse communities virtually communicated despite big distances)
4. entertainment (e.g. music videos, tv shows, etc)

RELEVENCY?
- how do you measure?
- considerations?
- criterias?

What is happening now?
- how has the media progressed?
- how has technology progressed?
- from when to when? (time period)
- beneficial?
- difference between then and now
- the contents
- what are the current needs of today?

FUNCTIONS OF MASS COMMUNICATION
Basic functions of mass communication can be divided into broad three classes: informing, persuading and entertaining.

Informing:
The most important function of mass communication is dissemination of information to the public primary through news media-electronic and print. Information diffused through these channels (media) is about new events, products, changes in policies, ideas, philosophies and so forth. Mass media are particularly effective to spread current information having news values.

Persuading:
Persuasion is another function of mass media. Because of its having persuasive potential, both electronic and print media are used for advertising products, services, business, charities, or for political campaign.

Entertaining:
Entertainment is the most common function of mass communication. When used for entertainment, the mass media publicize such programs as are pleasurable to the consumers or at least they provide the audience with some sort of escape of diversion from anxieties of daily life.

For example, Newspapers for this purpose may include comics, crossword puzzles and the like. Televisions may show situation comedies, drama, variety shows, etc. Radio entertainment primarily consists of music, talk shows, etc.


Preconditions for Successful Mass Communication:

As mentioned earlier, a large number of audiences are contacted through mass communication. Therefore, every care should be taken to make communication effective. There are certain preconditions to make successful mass communication. These preconditions are:


Understanding:
The communicator himself must have clear understanding of the massage to be conveyed

Thinking:
The communicator must also thoroughly think over the using of words, timing and manner of communication to make the message cognitive, attractive, and acceptable.

Consistency:
there must be consistency between actions or behaviors of and the message sent by the communicator.

Follow up:
To have an idea about the attitudes, feelings, reactions or understanding of the audience, the communicator is needed for arranging follow-ups.


Mass communication Media:

Media which are used for sending messages to a huge number of audiences at home and abroad are known as mass media. These media are so large in number that it will not be an exaggeration to comment that we are a media society. But we will notice here some important media only:

Print Media:
Print media are most suitably applied to the literate section of our human society. These media usually carry the message of commercial, economic or political interest to the readers or consumers at home and abroad. The print media may be of different forms such as dailies. Weeklies, periodicals, leaflets, etc.

Audio Media:
Radio is the best audio medium. Through these medium advertisements, government messages, circulars, etc. are widely spread for public consumption. Besides, microphones and record players also act as audio media. When messages are sent through these media, audiences receive them by the ear. So these media are particularly important for illiterate messes.

Audio Visual Media:
Messages sent through these media are seen as well as heard simultaneously. A television, one of the audio visual media, is the most powerful and influential mass medium. Varieties of programs such as documentaries, news, educational shows, adventure series, sports spectaculars, movies, cartoons and so forth, are presented through a television to meet the needs of all viewers. The other media in this group are movies, video cassettes, etc.

Traditional Media:
In addition to these above-mentioned modern media, some authors have mentioned a few traditional media for mass communication. Important traditional media are ‘Jattra stage’. Theater stage, drama stage, drumming, etc (EXTRACTED FROM _http://golam178.hubpages.com/hub/freemasscommunication24)

OUR RESPONSE:
IN CONCLUSION, WE AGREE TO A LARGE EXTENT THAT THESE FUNCTIONS ARE RELEVANT. HAVING SAID THAT, THE FUNCTION "PERSUADING, INFORMING, AND ENTERTAINING" IS THE MOST RELEVANT AND RELATABLE IN TODAY'S CONTEXT.

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Our Resources :
Ways to search/find
1. Senses
2. Testimonies
3. Intuition
4. Reasoning




Our Research:
(1) Define mass communication.

Answer:
Mass communication is the study of how one send information through mass media mediums such as newspapers, magazines, radios and more to disseminate information.
It affects the attitude, emotions, beliefs and behaviour of the people receiving the information.

Reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_communication

Credibility:
Based on the references in the Wikipedia, they gave credits to expertise in the media field. For example, Pearce, K.J. (2009). Media and Mass Communication Theories.
In Encyclopedia of Communication Theory (p. 624-628). The information in the source is also recently updated which is 21st July 2014.

Ways of finding out:
I used reasoning as all of these are facts and some of the references are from a book for example “In Encyclopedia of Communication Theory” page 624 to page 628.
I also used keywords as I inserted in the search bar in google, “Mass Communication”.

Relevance:
Yes or no? Yet to find out.
The answer to the driving question.

2) Define the first function of a mass communicator; Responsibilities to the public.

Answer:
The responsibilities a mass communicator have are to practice transparency, the good kind, watch out for drive-by assassinations by anonymous quote or ill-chosen word, consider how all parties will feel and decriminalize corrections.
However, citizens have their own responsibilities too which are ….. (not yet)

Reference:
http://www.scu.edu/ethics/publications/ethicsoutlook/2003/ethical_journalists.html

Credibility:
Based on the source, it was created by Jerry Ceppos. He is a vice president for the news, Knight Ridder (an American media company specializing in newspaper and internet publishing) which means he holds a very high position in the media field and is considered an expertise. Also this source is from a California school which is renowned. The reference was last updated in 2003.

Ways of finding out:
I used testimony from someone with a very good reputation who is Jerry Ceppos. I also used keywords as I typed in the search bar, “media responsibilities to public”.

Relevance:
Not relevant.
The responsibilities of the mass communicator is not relevant to the community as citizens should be responsible for the way they interpret the information and what they chose to believe.

3) Define the functions of mass communication: To inform, entertain and persuade.

Answer:
Informing is the most important part in mass communication.
It is diffused through many channels about events, products, changes in policies, ideas, philosophies and so forth. Mass media are particularly effective at spreading information since the media.
Persuasive appeals are often used in Mass Communication.
We can see from both electronic and print media which use persuasive appeals such as in advertising products, services, business charities and political campaign.
Entertainment is the most common function of mass communication.
Mass media used entertainment as they are pleasurable to the consumer and at least provide the audience with escape of diversion from anxieties of daily life. Some examples of entertainment include comics, crossword puzzles, drama and comedies.

Reference:
http://golam178.hubpages.com/hub/freemasscommunication24

Credibility:
It is credible since the webpage is last updated on 2011 and besides that the people who made this source gave reference to very credible sources such as the World Communication Center, USA.

Ways of finding out: I found out this article by quoting in the google bar “”inform, entertain and persuade in society””.
In here, I’ve used a secondary source and also logical reasoning and facts to come to an answer.

Relevance:
Yes, very.

4) Define the function of mass communication: To connect communities.

Answer:
Mass communications are important for a sense of culture and community.
Mass communications develop relationships in ways such as the social networking site. Mass communications also allows people to connect with each other for example a businessman can connect, sell and deliver products and services to people around the world. It able to join different elements of society that are not directly connected.
Mass media is able to join different elements of society that are not directly connected.

Examples:
Mass advertising tries to link sellers and the possible buyers
Through reading newspapers, MPs keep in touch with their constituents.
Geographically separated groups that share common interest are also linked by the mass media e.g. publicity about people suffering from the same sickness come together and prompt the government to take action. The dating services such as Facebook, eBay online auction site enable people who want to buy or sell items link up.
There is however hate sites on the internet that terrorist use to spread propaganda and re-cruit new members.

Reference:
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/four-functions-mass-communications-56326.html
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=56788


Credibility:
I have used testimony in this case. From my references, the testimony was taken by Jeremy C Bradley from Demand Media and since he has quite a background his opinion can be trusted and reliable in my research. Another testimony is from Joe Kingsley from Brookview Academy.

Ways of finding out: By using testimony and also typing keyword in the google search bar such as “Mass communication connects communities”.

Relevant: Yes.
We then searched on the different modes of Mass Communication to aid us in finding the artefacts,




We decided to use a Holistic approach which means that we take all the factors into considerations and be aware of how it affects one another.

EVALUATE HERE!

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