Mass Communication

Mass communication, as it is understood to day is relatively a recent phenomenon in India. It is means of dissemination of information, ideas and entertainment by the communication media.

The functions of Mass Communication:

Mass Communication have the capacity to perform many functions either individually or in conjunction.

1. Entertain2. Reinforce3. Educate4. Socialize5. Confer status6. Activate

7. Agenda Setting8. Gatekeeper Effect9. Narcotize10. Integration11. Ethicize12. Information function13. Debate and Discussion

Media in CommunicationMedium is singular and media is plural. The

term implies or means something or through which an effect is produced or is make known.

Mass media denote those channels of communication that reach large number of people such as television, newspaper, radio, cinema etc.

Media in relation to communication imply tools of communication.

The message part of the communication is very important in communication media. The media of communication takes the form of symbols, words, action, number etc.

Communication mediawords words

Actions Numbers

Oral

Written

face to face Eg. LettersConversation Pamphlets Telephone BookletsInterview NewspaperPress PostersRadio BrochuresTV JournalsMeeting

Visual aids Handshake FiguresCharts Silence Statistical dataModules GesturesSlides AnodGraphs

Video-cassettes

Maps

Pictures

The main role and responsibility of the media is transmit messages to receiver. Mass media endeavour to send information to public at large.

Mass media not only inform but persuade.

Mass media are used for entertainment and commercial as well as non commercial.

Without mass media there would be no social, economic and political system.

The important media that play a vital role in communication areNews papers -> Print mediaRadio -> Broadcast mediaTelevision -> Broadcast mediaCinema & film mediaElectronic media -> Computer

Origin and Growth of Media

Newspaper -> print media:A good newspaper are essential if an

individual are to function effectively. Other media can complement, but not

replace newspapers.Broadcasting media -> radio:It became a mass media of

entertainment and important source of information.

Radio is Audio – media of entertainment, education and information.

Radio covers foreign languages & Indian languages. In India languages it covers Telugu, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Hindi, Bengali, Assame

Television:It is comes under broadcasting media. In 1926

television invented by John Baird in England.In 1959 first television centre in India set up

on experimental basis.TV is used for both entertainment & education.

Cinema Or Film Media:It is also broadcasting media.The first Indian film came into begin in 1912. It

produced in many languages.It produces news reviews, cartoons, documents

Electronic media:The new developments in electronic media

are videodisk, tex, audio-cassettes, video videotape, micro computer, floppy disk, computer.

The advanced countries taken advantage of the electronic media for communication.

The days are called as “Communication Revolution”.

Multimedia:There are several media, each has its own

merits and demerits. Using many media in communication is termed as multimedia

Message

Words

Verbal

Written

Media Media

Symbols

Media Media

Numbers

ActionPictures

MULTIMEDIAEffect of mass media:Mass communication services influence

the attitudes and behaviour of people.The mass media communications have

been influencing individuals organizations, communities and nations. Their effect multi faceted social, Economic, Political, Scientific, Technical, Spiritual and so on.

Further, there have been positive and negative effects Eg: yellow journalism, propaganda etc affecting people very badly.

Positive effects: Like social change, modernisation,

economic development.Folk media suited to poor country, helps

in participation.

Functions of mass media:The basic three functions of mass media

areTo informTo educateTo entertain

To Inform:

Information is most important function the power of mass media to inform is almost credible.

People read newspaper to know about what, when, where, who, why & How the things are happening pertaining to personalities or institutions.

It brings about greater awareness among the masses about men and materials.

To Educate:

The development of mass media and progress of education are intimately related in many ways.

The mass media educates people by giving information about food, health, housing, sanitation, employment, agriculture, industry, environment, science, technology, modernization etc.

The print media predominant source of education Ex: Newspaper, Journals etc.

The electronic media like Radio, television, film etc are not lagging behind in education the masses.

Radio is very useful source of information and education both in urban and rural areas in developing countries.

 

To Entertain:Mass media also entertains people.Film, television, radio are increasingly subjected

to commercialization via entertainment.Television is nation’s number one entertainment

medium. But film & radio are not far behind.  Other functions:Harold Lass well (1967) a political scientist who

has done pioneering research in mass media communication has noted 3 major functions.

Surveillance of the environment: Which means collection, distribution of information concerning events in the environments both outside & with in particular society.

Correlation of the part of society in responding:

Interpretation of information and the environment prescription for conducting reaction to these events.

The transonission of social heritage from one generation to other generation:

Lass well says transmission of culture, focuses on the communication of information values and social norms from one generation to other generation. It is identified as educational activity.

Role Of Mass Media In Dissemination Of Farm Technology

Rural development by itself is no means an agricultural or productivity alone or a technical or technological problem.

The successive government in power have always used “Top down” model of approach plans formulated at Macro level and implemented at Micro level.

The participating model of communication “Bottom up Approach” has proved to be effective in establishing communication links where the poor people participate and agencies, institutions are involved.

Mere participation and no recognition do not produce desired results.

The villages should give an opportunity to express.

When we talk of media & rural development we look from two dimensions of development. That is development of rural areas ant he role of media.

Exposure to rural programmes through media.

People’s active participation through mass media.

There is need to bring awareness about developmental programmes so that they can actively participate in developmental process.

Rural people do not constitute homogenous groups. For effective media usage it is necessary to find out different languages backgrounds.

Radio – A tool for development:Even though All India Radio broadcast multiple

programmes the developmental programmes relating to rural poor cover very small proportion.

In recent past AIR has been institution of 53 rural radio broadcasting stations in the country but discouraging trend is that there is only 5.4 % direct support for rural development.

Farm and Home unitsSelected AIR stations provide relevant and

problem – oriented farm information to the farmers of a small homogenous area with similar agro-climatic conditions.

Rural programs are broadcasted almost in regional languages & local dialects.

Farm & Home units broadcast and telecast programmes on agriculture practises, scientific methods of cultivation.

Many of the programmes are need based, field based, area specific and audience – specific.

Both Akashavani and Doordarshan have their audience research units for feedback.

Doordarshan:Doordarshan has now reached on estimated

82% population through network.Future plants lay emphasis on including area-

specific television service for viewers living in different parts of the country.

The rural people cannot afford to by TV sets who are below poverty line, For those people there are community TV sets in rural areas but this is not enough to arouse and motivate to improve living conditions of rural people.

Interpersonal contact method:Personal contact communication is considered

to be the most effective media.

Many studies in the past observed that two – thirds of the farmers – respondents found their friends and neighbours to be their source of information.

Some studies found that opinion leader play vital role in rural development.

In one of the studies brought out NIRD( National Institute of Rural Development) radio, newspaper found to be source of few people. The inter-personal contact with VDO, Panchayat, president, veterinary doctor, found to be major source for respondents.

Inter personal communication is best source of information because of massive illiteracy in rural areas and modern media has not been able to provide adequate information support.

Agricultural extensions has long been regarded as logical scientific and systematic method for disseminating more productive and useful knowledge.

It also serves as link between scientists & farmers.

The success of extension workers depends on his communication, behaviour his skill.

The (T and V) training & visit system establishes broad structure to facilitate such communication through regular workshops, training camps and scheduled visits to the contact farmers.

 

Rural Press:

India has 80% rural people. Radio & TV together covering 85 to 90% of area. The print media has limitation. The regional newspaper focus on rural development activities.

The existing rural newspapers, journals should be rural educator, entertainer, motivator.

The existing rural newspapers, journals should be rural educator, entertainer, motivator.

The rural papers should be given free of cost or low price so that people can read them.

Field Publicity:

The Directorate and Field publicity (DFP) endeavour to inform for the benefit of people of Government plans and schemes.

DFP functions at three levels (National / state/ cities/ towns/field) publicity units.

The communication activities have been basically carried out by Nodal Ministry of information and broadcasting.

Various forms of communication electronic media, interpersonal and traditional.

Effect of Media Mix for rural people

In addition to the personal contact methods and face to face group teaching methods mass media enable extension workers to greatly increase teaching efficiency. Ex: publications, radio, television etc.

A combination of mass media and interpersonal communication channels is the most efficient way to reach people with new ideas and innovations.

Media forums are one of mass contact method developed in Canada among farm families later spread to India.

Media forums:are small group of individuals who meet regularly to receive mass media programs and discuss its contents.

The mass media linked to the forum may radio, as in India forums called Charcha Mandals or the Radiophonics schools of Latin America.

Printed fare as is usually the case in communication Chinese study groups.

Television as in the Italian telescuola.

Media forums represent a combination of mass media with interpersonal channels.

Neurath designed his field experiments so that comparisons could be made in knowledge increase among the peasants who lived in three types of Indian villages.

1.Those in which radio forums were established.

2.Those in which radio’s were already present.3.Those which neither radio, nor a forum.

Radio forum villages has much greater gain in knowledge of innovations than did the control villages followed of radio’s present villages(slight knowledge level)

Television: Has a unique advantage over other mass

media. While it provides picture & sound effect. The demonstrations “ The need” in farm extension are brought to farmers by farm television apart from evidence by their own eyes, farmers also respond readily to what is said especially by other farmers through interpersonal communication.

Before the farmer think of taking action he requires television information and impression to be reinforced by local demonstration and individual personal confirmation.

Factors to be considered in selection and combination of Extension methods:

No single “Rule of Thumb” can give for the selection and use of Extension methods.

For effective results extension workers should Select appropriate method.Have a suitable combination of selected method Use them in proper sequence.The main factor is the audience people may

largely differ in the matter of educational training, age, income level social status, religious beliefs.

Some are progressively seeking changes. Others are slow to change.

Some are “Eye – minded “ while others are “Ear minded”. These individual and collective differences influence the teaching approach.

Combination of Media based on Mr. Wilson’s studies

Extension field studies conducted in USA over long period of years shows that people are influenced by extension education to make changes in behaviour in proportion to the number of different teaching methods with which they come in contact.

As the number of methods exposure to extension information increases from 1 to 9 the number of farm families changing behaviour increases from 35% to 98%.

Therefore people must expose to different extension teaching methods

Seeing and Doing 6.67

Seeing and Doing hearing 37.49

Seeing and doing and hearing, reinforced by reading 49.29

Seeing and doing and hearing, reinforced by reading, personal contacts 89.99

Seeing and doing and hearing, reinforced by reading, personal contacts more hearing & seeing 78.68

Seeing and doing and hearing, reinforced by reading, personal contacts, more hearing & seeing, indirect influence 100

6.67

6.6.7 30.82

6.67 30.82 11.80

6.67 30.82 11.80 20.70

6.67 30.82 11.80 20.708.70

6.67 30.82 11.80 20.70 8.70 21.31

The combination use of methods is important in extension teaching.

The adoption practice was more when more than five methods were used compared to single and two to five methods.

Using methods in proper sequence:Enable farmer to see, hear and do the things

to be learned.Enable us to reach large numbered of people.Create confidence building situations.

Combination of Methods

Effectiveness of Two Teaching Media Combination:

The combination of field trip and slide show

emerged as the best in terms of overall

effectiveness. This was followed by the combination

demonstration + slide show.

These two Combinations were found to be

statistically similar in effect. The combinations of

group discussion + folder and wall painting +

group discussion ranked lowest in terms of overall

effectiveness.

Other media combinations are indicated in the

score card in increasing order of effectiveness”.

Rank in descending

order of effectiveness

Media Score

1. Fieldtrip + slide show 10.29

2. Demonstration + slide show 10.09

3. Field trip + group discussion 8.96

4. Demonstration + group

discussion

8.67

5. Exhibition + group discussion 7.78

6. Radio + demonstration 7.68

7. Film + group discussion 7.67

Rank in descending

order of

effectiveness

Media Score

Demonstration + folder 6.92

Field trip + folder 6.12

Radio + slide show 6.31

Radio + folder 6.12

Film + folder 5.89

Wall painting + slideshow 5.73

Poster + slide show 5.52

Group discussion + folder 5.08

Wall painting + group

discussion

4.75

Combination of Three Media:“It was found that 3 media combination of

radio + slide show + field trip contribute the most in terms of overall effectiveness.

The combinations of wall painting + slideshow + field trip and poster + slideshow + demonstration were found to be statistically similar to the top ranking combination.

The Score card indicated other statistically similar combinations with each combination tested in descending order of effectiveness”.

Rank in descending order

of effectiveness

Media Score

1. Radio + slideshow + field trip 14.59

2. Wall painting + slide show + field

trip

14.45

3. Poster + slide show +

demonstration

14.23

4. Exhibition + group discussion +

demonstration

12.96

5. Filk + group discussion +

demonstration

12.60

6. Wall painting + group discussion +

demonstration

11.76

Rank in descending

order of effectiveness

Media Score

7. Radio + folder + demonstration 11.64

8. Film + folder+ demonstration 11.23

9. Film trip + slideshow + group

discussion

10.37

10. Demonstration + group discussion

+ slide show

9.70

11. Field trip + group discussion +

folder

9.43

Selection and use of Extension Teaching Media:

There is no single extension teaching method

which can say to be most effective. The best

results can be achieved, when the methods are

used in a combination.

This dimension has been very well brought in

experimental study conducts by Singh & Singh

(1976). They found that a single field trip was best

followed by the demonstration and exhibition etc.

Rank in descending order of

overall effectiveness

Media Score

1. Field trip 5.68

2. Demonstration 5.27

3. Exhibition 4.52

4. Group discussion 3.95

5. Radio 3.55

6. Film 2.94

7. Poster 0.75

8. Wall painting 0.63

Overall effectiveness of score card:It was observed that the overall effectiveness of

exhibition, field trip and demonstration has no significant correlation with caste, age, education size of farm holding, social participation, socio economic status and motivation.

This lead to conclusion that exhibition, field trip and demonstration can effectively utilized in all circumstances.

A Group discussion, Radio, Film can be more effective if used among farmers with higher socio-economic status, higher education and motivation to acceptance of farm technology.