Theories of Mass Communication

Theories of Mass Communication

• Hypodermic Needle Theory: Media messages directly influence passive audiences, assuming homogeneity. Often linked to propaganda, early mass communication studies.
• Agenda-Setting Theory: Media doesn't dictate thought but rather the topics people consider important. Selection and emphasis shape public opinion.
• Cultivation Theory: Long-term television viewing creates a distorted reality perception. Heavy viewers align with media's consistent narratives.
• Two-Step and Multi-Step Flow Theory: Media messages first influence opinion leaders, who subsequently influence wider audiences. This suggests effects are distributed through networks, opinion leaders.
• Uses and Gratifications Theory: Focuses on audience motivations for media consumption. Users actively seek media to satisfy needs (info, personal identity, etc.).
• Normative Theories of the Press: Explore media operation under diverse political/social systems. Include: Authoritarian, Libertarian, Social Responsibility, Soviet Communist, Developmental.

Mass Communication Models

• Aristotle's Model (4th Century BCE): An early model focusing on public speaking, emphasizes persuasion (ethos, pathos, logos). Speaker, message, and audience are key elements.
• Laswell's Model (1948): Linear model analysing mass media and propaganda. Poses 5 questions: Who says what? In which channel? To whom? With what effect?
• Shannon and Weaver's Model (1949): Technical perspective on communication. Includes sender, channel, receiver, and noise (interference). Highlights reciprocal communication.
• Osgood's Model (1954): Circular model emphasizing dynamic and interactive communication. Key components include encoder, decoder, interpreter. Feedback is crucial.
• Newcomb's Model (1953): Triangular model focusing on social context, interactions between communicator (A), receiver (B), and social object (X). Illustrates balance and equilibrium in relationships.

Traditional Folk Media

• Indigenous forms of art/communication, conveying cultural/religious/social messages, through oral storytelling, music, dance, and drama.
• Characteristics: community-oriented, oral/visual, regional, interactive, accessible, cultural repository.

Different Forms of Folk Media

• Chhou: Tribal dance-drama (Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand); combines martial arts, music, masks.
• Tamasha: Marathi folk theatre; known for humor, satire, songs.
• Pawada: Maharashtra's ballad style storytelling, focusing on heroic deeds, historical events, social messages.
• Nautanki: A North Indian folk theatre form (Uttar Pradesh) combining music, drama, and dance (love stories, historical epics, social issues).
• Jatra: A Bengali theatrical tradition; known for loud dialogue, melodrama, and musical interludes.
• Ramlila: Dramatic reenactment of the Ramayana, emphasizes moral/ethical values, often performed during Dussehra.
• Raslila: Dance, music, and drama centered on Lord Krishna's life/divine love, prevalent in Uttar Pradesh.

Concepts in Media and Communication

• Information Society: Characterised by information/knowledge's central role in economic, social, and cultural activities. Reliant on technology, rapid communication, and knowledge-driven economies.
• Technological Determinism: Technology drives societal change, an autonomous force shaping culture, economy, and politics.
• Media Convergence: Merging of traditional and digital media platforms, seamless content flow across formats.
• Participatory Culture: Active audience involvement in creating, sharing, and interacting with content, characterized by low barriers to participation, collaborative creation, and social connection.
• Networked Society: Social, economic, and cultural systems organized through interconnected networks.

Noise in Communication

• Noise: Any interference that disrupts or hinders communication; semantic (language, vocabulary), psychological (internal distractions), physical (external obstacles), technical (medium problems), environmental (external disturbances), cultural (cultural misunderstandings).
• Mass Communication: Process of disseminating info to large, heterogeneous audiences through print, electronic, or digital platforms. This includes the functions of information, entertainment, persuasion, surveillance, cultural transmission.

Types of Communication

• Verbal Communication: Use of spoken/written words to convey messages.
• Nonverbal Communication: Communication via gestures, facial expressions, body language, tone.

Global Media: Globalization and Media Conglomerates

• Globalization: Interconnectedness of economies, cultures, and populations.
• Media Conglomerates: Large corporations owning numerous smaller media companies, influencing media landscape.
• Globalization in Media: Enhanced global connectivity, cross-cultural exchange, challenges include cultural homogenization, digital divide. Includes global media platforms, roles in global events, cultural exchange.
• Media Conglomerates' Structure, Advantages, Criticism, and Global Reach: Media conglomerates often involve vertical/horizontal integration. Advantages include economies of scale, high quality productions, and broad global reach but critics raise important concerns like market consolidation, content homogenization, and editorial bias.

Types of Media

• Traditional Media: Print (Newspapers, magazines, books), Electronic (Radio, television). Strengths include reliability, tangibility, accessibility; weaknesses include slow feedback, high costs, and limited interactivity.
• New Media: Internet-based platforms (Social media, blogs, streaming services). Strengths include instant feedback, interactivity, global reach; weaknesses include digital divide, misinformation, and privacy concerns.