Media as oftentimes the only source of information, it must ensure the following:

1. Implementation of utmost professionalism

2. Must be objective at all times 3. Provide the public with balanced reporting

4. Fair and honest covering of stories or events

5. Examine and comprehend the interest of the public 6. Make avenue to represent
different voices and opinions

The Importance of Media

John Vivian explained the importance of media in his book entitled, The Media of Mass
Communication. According to him, the value of media lies in its pervasive nature, its
function as an information and entertainment source, its role as a persuasion forum, and
its binding influence on people.

Pervasiveness

The Cambridge dictionary defines pervasiveness as present or noticeable in every part

of a thing or a place. This is true in the case of media in our daily lives. Over the past
couple of decades, the world has grown more and more dependent on media. It is for
this reason that TV networks and radio stations continue to multiply. Print media do not
seem to die down completely despite many expert predictions. The Internet has even
been listed as a basic human right by the United Nations.

Information Source

The Internet has become everyone's go-to place whenever they need to know some-
thing. Everyone gets their dose of news and current affairs on a particular media plat-
form of their choice. People even take to social media websites for updates whenever
there's a catastrophe. There is no denying that media has become the largest source of
information.

Entertainment source

TV shows, music, films, books, clips and videos, and social media, are just some of the
things that the media offers as entertainment. The wide selection of choices made
available by media ensures that there is content suitable to anyone's liking. This is what
got people hooked on media. After all, everyone needs to relax and be entertained
every once in a while.
 ➢ Persuasion Forum

The media has the power to persuade people. Swaying people's beliefs does not
happen instantly, though. Every time someone shares an opinion about a subject,
another op- posing view is bound to come up. In addition to having an influence on
people's beliefs, it also acts as a platform for discussion and debate.

➢ Binding Influence

People rely on media in their daily lives. Whether it's for research on a school paper, or
a recipe for a delicious meal, the media has become part of everyone's mundane lives.
Such dependence has resulted to the media's binding influence with its audience

The Concepts of Mass Media and Media Demassification

Mass Media

Mass media refer to channels of communication that involve transmitting information in

some way, shape or form to large numbers of people. Dutton et al (1998) suggest that
traditionally the mass media has been differentiated from other types of communication
in terms of four essential characteristics:

➢ Distance: between the sender and receiver of the information in mass media.
This makes mass media impersonal, lacking immediacy, and one way.
➢ Technology: TV and radio networks won't be able to transmit information without

Connecting to the Internet requires electronic equipment like laptops and

smartphones. Mass media communication is only possible through technology.

➢ Scale: Mass media communication deals with broadcasting information to the

masses simultaneously
➢ Commodity: Due to its massive scale and the technological equipment it
requires, mass media is an expensive type of communication.

Media Demassification
Demassification is derived from the word demassify which means to divide or
break up (a social or political unit) into its component parts.

Unlike mass media communication where the target is everyone, demassification

divides the masses into segments before choosing which segments to target. In
specifically deter mining the target market, media demassification can tailor fit
their message and delivery according to their target market and achieve the
intended response.