NATURE OF MASS

COMMUNICATION
Lecture by:
MA. JULIE ANNE C. GAJES
Bonfal National High School
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya

Nature of Mass Communication

Mass communication is produced by complex and formal
organizations;
Mass communication organizations have multiple gatekeepers;
Mass communication organizations have a great deal of money to
operate;
Mass communication organizations exist to make a profit; and
Mass communication organizations are highly competitive.

FUNCTIONS OF MASS
COMMUNICATION

Surveillance
This refers to what we popularly call the news and information role of media. The
media have taken the place of sentinels and lookouts. Correspondents for wire
services, TV networks, and newspapers are located across the globe. These
individuals gather information for us that we couldnt get for ourselves.
The surveillance function can be divided into two main types: Warning or beware
surveillance and Instrumental surveillance.
Warning or beware surveillance occurs when media inform us about threat
from typhoon, floods, erupting volcanos, depressed economic conditions.
These warnings can be about immediate threats or long-term threats.
Instrumental surveillance has to do with the transmission of information that is
useful and helpful in everyday life. News about what films are being played,
new products, fashion ideas, recipes etc.
In todays world, we are highly dependent on others for news. We have to put a
certain amount of trust in the media that do our surveillance. This trust, called
credibility, is an important factor in determining which news medium people find the
most believable.

Interpretation
Mass media do not supply just facts and data. They also provide information on the
ultimate meaning and significance of those events. One form of interpretation is so
obvious that many people overlook it. Not everything that happens in the world on
any given day can be included in the newspaper or in a TV or radio newscast. Media
organizations SELECT those events that are to be given time or space and decide
how much prominence they are given.
Stories that make it into the newspapers or broadcast have been judged by the
various gatekeepers involved to be more important than those that didnt make it.
The most obvious example of this function can be found on the editorial pages of a
newspaper. Interpretation, comment, and opinion are provided for the reader so that
he or she gains an added perspective on the news stories carried on other pages.
Interpretation is not confined to editorials. Articles devoted to an analysis of the
causes behind a particular event or a discussion of implications of a new
government policy are also examples of the interpretation function.

Linkage
Mass media are able to join together by interpersonal channels of different
elements of society that are not directly connected. For example, advertising
attempts to link the needs of buyers with the product of sellers.
Public service announcements or segments aim to raise funds for helping out
victims of calamities are also examples of this linkage function.
When the media performs this role, one obvious consequence is that societal groups
can be mobilized quickly. The downside of this is that persons with antisocial
interests can be quick to call on their followers to create a state of anarchy.

Transmission of Values
This is also known as the socialization function. Socialization refers to the ways in
which an individual comes to adopt the behavior and values of a group. The mass
media portrayals of our society, and by watching, listening, and reading, we learn
how people are supposed to act and what values are important.
The next time you watch television, pay close attention on the way mothers and
children are presented. Mass media mommies are clean, loving, pretty, and
cheerful.
Mass media also teach us about people; they show us how they act and what is
expected of them. In other words, the media presents us with role models that we
may observe and perhaps imitate.
Media also consciously try to instill values and behavior patterns in the audience. At
one level, value transmission via mass media will aid the stability of society.
Common values are passed down to all members, thereby creating a common bond
between them. On the other hand, the kinds of values and cultural information that
are included in mass media content are selected by large by large organizations

 That may select values and behaviors that encourage the status quo.
Mass media can also transmit values by enforcing social norms. Media coverage
can ensure that the values of the majority society are highlighted and upheld by
what they choose to emphasize.

Entertainment
Another obvious media function is that of entertainment.
Motion picture and sound recording are devoted primarily to entertainment. Even
though most of a newspaper is devoted to covering the events of the day, comics,
puzzles, horoscopes, games and general entertainment features usually account
for around 12 percent of the typical content of a daily paper.
Through the years, the importance of this entertainment function has grown as
Filipinos accumulated more leisure time.
In the past, people hired jesters, troubadours etc. to provide entertainment but
today, their tasks have been taken over by mass media which was relatively cheaper
and made available to all.

USES OF MASS
COMMUNICATION

Uses and Gratifications

This theory presents that the audience have certain
needs or drives that are satisfied b using both media
and nonmedia sources. The actual needs satisfied
by media are called media gratifications.

Cognition
This means the act of coming to know something. When a person uses a mass
medium to obtain information about something, then he or she is using the medium
in a cognitive way. Clearly, the individuals cognitive use of a medium is directly
parallel to the surveillance function at the macroanalytical level.
Two types of cognitive functions performed by consumers:
Consumers use media to keep up with information on current event
Consumers use media to learn about things in general or things that relate to a
persons general curiosity.

Diversion
Diversion can take on many forms. Some of these forms identified by researchers
include:
Stimulation, or seeking relief from boredom or the routine activities of everyday
life;
Relaxation, or escape from the pressure and problems of day-to-day existence;
and
Emotional release of pent-up emotions and energy.

Social Utility
This refers to a set of integrative needs, including our need to strengthen our
contact with our family, friends and others in our society. The social integrative need
seems to spring from an individuals need to affiliate with others.
Media provide common ground for social conversations, and many people use
things they have read, seen, or heard as topics for discussion when talking with
others.

Withdrawal
This presumes that humans occasionally need to escape from certain activities and
that, in this connection, they use the media not only for relaxation but also for
purposes that are described as withdrawal purposes.
At times, people use the mass media to create a barrier between themselves and
other people or other activities. For example, the media help people avoid certain
chores that should be done.
Mom: Its your turn to wash the dishes
You: I cant. I want to finish this program.
People also use the media to create a buffer zone between themselves and other
people. When you are riding the jeepney or sitting in a public place and dont want
to be disturbed, you bury your head in a magazine or a newspaper. If you fold it
correctly, it can serve as an effective screen.

Content and Context

It is not only media content that determines audience usage, but also the social
context within which the media exposure occurs.
It is also important to note that the functional approach makes several assumptions:
Audience take an active role in their interaction with various media.
The mass media compete with other sources of satisfaction.
The uses-and-gratifications approach assumes that people are aware of their
own needs and are able to verbalize them.

ACTIVITY:
Form groups of five.
Discuss how you use mass media. Give specific examples of how you use media.
Choose a reporter to share your discussion with the class.