What is mass
media? In what situation is mass media employed? Pickup any two examples of
your choice and explain its relevance
Ans : Mass media is media that
is intended for a large audience. It may take the form of broadcast media,
as in the case of television and radio, or print media, like newspapers
and magazines. Internet media can also attain mass media status,
and many media outlets maintain a web presence to take advantage of
the ready availability of Internet in many regions of the world. Some people
also refer to it as the “mainstream media,” referencing the fact that it tends
to stick to prominent stories which will be of interest to a general audience,
sometimes ignoring controversial breaking news. Many people around the world
rely on this form of media for news and entertainment, and globally,
it is a huge industry.
Usually, mass media aims
to reach a very large market, such as the entire population of a country. By
contrast, local media covers a much smaller population and area,
focusing on regional news of interest, while specialty media is
provided for particular demographic groups. Some local media outlets
that cover state or provincial news may rise to prominence thanks to their
investigative journalism, and to the clout that their particular regions have
in national politics. The Guardian, formerly known as theManchester
Guardian, for example, is a nationally-respected paper in England that
started as a regional daily.
One of the biggest
criticisms of the mass media is that it is too topical. When
a media outlet is forced to cover national and international news, it
cannot address numerous interesting local stories because these stories are not
of interest to very many viewers. For example, the residents of a community
might view their fight against development as critical, but the story would
only attract the attention of a wider audience if the fight became controversial
or if precedents of some form were set.
People often think
of mass media as the news, but it also includes entertainment
like television shows, books, and films. It may also be educational in nature,
as in the instance of public broadcasting stations that provide educational
programming to a national audience. Political communications
includingpropaganda are also frequently distributed through
the media, as are public service announcements and emergency alerts.
While elitists may be
tempted to sneer at the mass media, referring to it as the “opiate of
the masses,” it is a critical part of human societies.
Understanding mass media is usually key to understanding a
population and culture, which is why the field of media studies is so
huge. Watching, reading, and interacting with a nation's media can
provide clues into how people think, especially if a diverse assortment of
sources are viewed.
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