SUBJECT- PRINCIPLES OF

COMMUNICATION
SUBJECT CODE-BJMC4101

Presentation by- Priyanka Pathak

Assistant Professor, Department of Mass
Communication, Babu Banarasi Das University,
Lucknow
 TOPICS COVERED
1- What is Mass Communication

2-Definitions of Mass Communication

3-Types of Mass Communication

 WHAT IS MASS COMMUNICATION
Mass communication is a process in which a person,
group of people, or an organization sends a message
through a channel of communication to a large group of
anonymous and heterogeneous people and
organizations.

You can think of a large group of anonymous and

heterogeneous people as either the general public or a
segment of the general public.
Channels of communication include broadcast television,
radio, social media, and print. The sender of the message
is usually a professional communicator that often
represents an organization. Unlike interpersonal
communication, feedback for mass communication is
usually slow and indirect
 DEFINITIONS OF MASS COMMUNICATION
Mass communication involves communication with mass
audiences and the channel through which this kind of
communication takes place is referred to as mass
media.

Both mass communication and mass media are

generally considered synonymous for the sake of
convenience.

Mass Communication is defined as ‘any mechanical

device that multiples messages and takes it to a large
number of people simultaneously’
 According to Wilbur Schramm ‘a mass medium is
essentially a working group organized around some
device for circulating the same message, at about same
time, to a large number of people’.

For example, a newspaper is produced everyday with

the collective efforts of a lot of people using various
information sources ranging from local reporters to
international news agencies.
TYPES OF MASS COMMUNICATION
 Print Media

It is believed that Johannes Gutenberg of Germany was the first

to develop printing around 1439. It paved the way for the
development of print journalism. Socio, economic, political and
cultural changes along with science and technology made print
media a technologically advanced form.

Portability of printed matters makes it a unique medium.

Newspapers, magazines, or a book follows the reader at any time
if he is willing to carry it. Portability and permanence open up a
possibility to re-read the matter. A matter printed once is for ever.
Print is affordable to everybody now.
 Print Media include

1. Newspapers

2· Magazines

3· Books

4· Other textual documents

1.Newspaper : News papers is a bunch of loose print papers properly
folded , which contains news , views, advertisements etc. and is
offered for sale at regular intervals, particularly daily or weekly.

The contents of newspapers are mainly news, articles and features,

opinion pieces such as editorials, comments, letters to the editor,
review, columns and advertisements. News constitutes about 60%
of the space in a newspaper.

2. Magazines: The dictionary defines magazines as a periodical

publication usually with a paper cover, containing miscellaneous
articles and often with illustrations or photographs.
 Broadly speaking there are two types of magazines: general
interest magazines and special interest magazines.
General interest magazines are those that attempt to cater to a
wide variety of reading interest such as India Today, The Week,
and Frontline etc.
Special interest magazines are those that cater to the interest of a
specific profession or groups. Thus business magazines like
Business Today are of special interest to the corporate world and to
business and finance professionals.

Note- Apart from these media, text books, books, booklets,

pamphlets, brochures, folders, periodicals, wall newspapers,
publicity and promotional literature also constitutes media for
mass reading, information and enlightenment. They are less
extensively used as compared to the newspapers and magazines.
Note-
Illiteracy is the major barrier in communication through print.
An illiterate cannot understand what is written or printed in a
publication. Physical and mental strain is also necessary to
assimilate printed matter
 Broadcast Media

The term 'broadcast media' covers a wide range of different

communication methods that include television, radio, films.

Broadcast media provides valuable information that can inform and

educate and includes public service announcements, daily news,
weather forecasts, interviews, and documentaries. Broadcast media
is also recreational and includes reality television, situation and
sketch comedies, movies, sports and advertising.
 Broadcast /Electronic media mainly include

1. Radio

2. Movies/ Films

3. Television

4.Audio and Video records

1.Television. Television is a glamorous family medium as it does the
immediacy of radio with the mobility of cine camera. It can make
the best use of other media like printed words, spoken words,
motion picture, colour, animation and sound.

Television service in India was inaugurated on the 15th September

1959 with a limited transmission on 3 days a week. While
Doordarshan was the only channel available through 1980’s the
T.V. in India has completely changed with the arrival of private
T.V. channels.

2. Radio. Radio established its place very fast in the minds of

listeners. Heavy doses of infotainment including music, drama, talk
shows, etc. supplemented with news made radio popular overnight.
Soon radio industry developed wide spreading networks and by the
1930’s radio became prime mass medium.
3.Films. Film is a powerful mass medium which has crossed the
barriers of language and literacy. Of all the mass media available
to us films are undoubtedly the most expensive and the most
glamorous media. Cinema is an audio visual medium and is rich in
live effects and demonstrates as well as suggests.
 NEW MEDIA

Development and widespread use of computers and information

technology have resulted in the emergence of what is called ‘new
media’. It includes computers, information technology,
communication networks and digital media.

Online and digital means of producing, transmitting and receiving

messages are called new media. The term encompasses computer
mediated communication technology. It implies the use of desktop
and portable computers as well as wireless and handheld devices.
 New Media includes
1.Websites
2. Streaming audio and video
3. Chat rooms
4. E-mail
5. Online communities
6.Web advertising
7. DVD and CD-ROM media
8.Virtual reality environments
9. Integration of digital data with the telephone such
as internet telephony
10.Digital cameras
11. Mobile computing
THANK YOU- PRIYANKA PATHAK
Assistant Professor, Department of Mass
Communication, Babu Banarasi Das University,
Lucknow