Mass Communication

Following the Nazi seizure of powerin 1933, Hitler established a Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda headed by Joseph Goebbels. The Ministry's aim was to ensure that the Nazi message was successfully communicated through art, music, theater, films, books, radio, educational materials, and the press. There were several audiences for Nazi propaganda. Germans were reminded of the struggle against foreign enemies and Jewish subversion. During periods preceding legislation or executive measures against Jews, propaganda campaigns created an atmosphere tolerant of violence against Jews, particularly in 1935 (before the Nuremberg Race Laws of September) and in 1938 (prior to the barrage of antisemitic economic legislation following Kristallnacht). Propaganda also encouraged passivity and acceptance of the impending measures against Jews, as these appeared to depict the Nazi government as stepping in and "restoring order."

Philosophy helps to develop critical thinking skills, which are essential for analyzing and evaluating information in mass communication. It also provides a framework for understanding ethical considerations in media production and consumption. Additionally, philosophy can help journalists and media professionals navigate complex issues and engage with diverse perspectives.

The benefit of a progaganda campaign is that it could accomplish what the propagandists set out to accomplish.

The risks are that that the public would see the campaign for what it is and the campaign would backfire. If lies or half-truths are used, they could be exposed, causing the public to have even stronger opinions the propagandists set out to change.

Yes, minority languages have a place in the world of mass communication because they are crucial for preserving cultural diversity and ensuring linguistic rights. Platforms like social media and the internet can help minority languages reach a wider audience and promote language revitalization efforts. Embracing and supporting minority languages in mass communication can enrich global discourse and foster greater inclusivity.

Sociology and mass communication are closely related as they both study human behavior and social interactions. Sociology provides insights into the societal structures and norms that shape mass media content and consumption patterns. On the other hand, mass communication channels such as television, radio, and social media play a key role in disseminating sociological ideas, influencing public opinions, and shaping cultural trends.

Some factors that affect language use in mass communication include the target audience's demographics, the medium of communication (e.g., TV, radio, social media), the purpose of the communication (e.g., informing, persuading, entertaining), and the cultural context in which the communication takes place. Additionally, the tone and style may vary depending on the platform and the desired effect on the audience.

According to the book "Mass Communication Theory: Foundations, Ferment, and Future," the four eras of mass communication theories are the mass society theory, the limited-effects perspective, the critical-cultural theories, and the framing theory.

Like it or not, we like in a media-dominated world. In order to understand that world, it is important to understand the media-- how they are used, who uses them, and for what purpose. The media of mass communication are able to persuade, inform, entertain, educate, and transmit the culture to millions of men, women, and children. Whether you are studying about radio and TV; books, newspapers & magazines; the internet and social media; recorded music; or movies, these mass media play a large role in daily life; in fact, few people today could communicate without them-- politicians, clergy, celebrities, educators, and people from every social stratum rely on them to send and receive messages. Thus, the more familiar you are with mass communication, the less you will be manipulated by it, and the better able you will be to notice its profound influence on society.

There is a theory from political scientists Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw that refers to the "Agenda-Setting Function of the Mass Media." This theory says that while the media don't tell us what to think, they do tell us what to think about. That is, the stories the media focus on may not be the most important stories in the world, but because we see/hear/read about them so often, we may begin to believe they must be really important after all; conversely, what the media ignore or fail to cover (or cover in a one-sided manner) will leave the public misinformed, believing there is only one side to a story, or that what is not reported about must be unimportant.

Also, the media set the agenda by picking winners and losers. Some media outlets and publications offer relentless coverage of celebrities (or politicians) behaving badly, leaving the impression that this is how they all act; the same is true with crime stories and stories about the public schools: the media may focus on certain poor and minority neighborhoods, leaving the impression there no crime and no social problems exist in upper-class neighborhoods. Many critics have noted that the media rarely cover anti-war stories during a time when the country is fighting a war (or a political leader is trying to drum up support for going to war). And in a country like the USA, where the media are commercial, it is also rare to see much focus on worker's rights issues (low pay, lack of health care, etc), use of child labor in third-world countries, or corporate greed, since advertisers take a dim view of being the subject of negative reports.

And critics have also noted that the media may be promoting an "argument culture"-- because many in the mainstream media prefer to focus on conflict between two sides of an issue. These stories are often reported as if both sides are equally credible, when in fact, one side's views may be considered a fringe viewpoint. Additionally, the media often prefer a simple story-line that can easily be told during a newscast, giving the news consumer the idea that there is a simple answer to even the most complicated question. Further, the media may give the impression that a certain view is held by almost everyone, leading the public to believe certain views are more popular (or more disliked) than they actually are.

Having good communication skills helps you to take better advantage of opportunities to advocate for your cause. For example, if you write an interesting and compelling speech and deliver it well, you may persuade people to support your point of view. And if you use the mass media to deliver your message, millions of people will hear it, and perhaps they will want to know more. Your powers of persuasion could encourage people to volunteer, to join with you in your advocacy work.

A good example is Martin Luther King Jr., the great civil rights leader. He gave many powerful speeches in person when he was advocating for equal opportunities for black people. But when his speeches were also seen on television, especially the "I Have a Dream" speech, his ideas reached a much wider audience, and many people were motivated to join him in his fight for civil rights. To this day, most professions require the ability to communicate effectively, but it is especially important if you are a lawyer, a political leader, or a member of a social service organization.

There are probably more than five purposes. Some are to inform, to educate (or instruct), to persuade (or influence), to facilitate relationships, to transmit the culture from one generation to another, to express emotions, to provide expertise.

Communication The act or fact of communicating; as, communication of smallpox; communication of a secret.

Intercourse by words, letters, or messages; interchange of thoughts or opinions, by conference or other means; conference; correspondence.

Association; company.

Means of communicating; means of passing from place to place; a connecting passage; connection.

That which is communicated or imparted; intelligence; news; a verbal or written message.

Participation in the Lord's supper.

A trope, by which a speaker assumes that his hearer is a partner in his sentiments, and says we, instead of I or you.

In the early days of journalism, newspapers were expensive and difficult to read. The average person had difficulty comprehending them. Then, in the early 1830s, Benjamin Day created what came to be known as the "penny press"-- it was easy to read, easy to understand, written in a more exciting style, and best of all, it only cost a penny. The creation of the "penny press" made buying and reading a newspaper much simpler for the average person. This, in turn, increased the audience and made more people want to improve their reading skills so they could find out what was in the news.

Before we get to "who," let's look at "what." One major circumstance that changed the newspaper industry was the arrival of radio. Radio made its debut in 1920, and by 1922, it was sweeping the country. At first, newspapers generally ignored radio, hoping it was a fad; newspaper editors saw radio as potential competition for advertisers, as well as a threat to circulation-- it was easier to listen to the news than to read it. But when it became obvious that radio was here to stay (and when it also became obvious that radio fans did not necessarily reject newspapers), many newspapers embraced the new mass medium, hiring a radio editor to report on the programs and the stars, and even having a radio page that featured inside scoops on what went on behind the scenes at the local and national stations.

But while radio did not kill off newspapers, it was a fact that newspaper readership was on the decline, and even if radio was only partly to blame, the 1920s was an era when fewer people were buying the newspaper. As for who changed the industry, it is difficult to point to any one person. Many newspapers kept readers by offering compelling story-telling and excellent (and well-respected) reporters and columnists. It was a decade of a number of major and controversial stories, and radio did not yet have fully developed news departments, so the public continued to rely on newspapers and news magazines (Time magazine made its debut in 1923, for example) to stay informed.

It is difficult to say there is only one focus. Cynics would suggest the focus is to make money, since the American system is funded by commercial advertising. But the mass media are generally supposed to perform the following important functions: they inform (through news broadcasts or through newspapers/magazines, for example); educate; entertain; and provide resources for transmitting perspectives about a given culture. Mass media are able to send these messages to a large and diverse audience, through such vehicles as newspapers, magazines, radio and television broadcasts, movies, the internet, and recorded music.

It would also be difficult to choose a major focus of the mass media, since many people rely on it for information, but just as many rely on it for entertainment. On the other hand, particular media (the plural of one single mass medium-- like radio, is "mass media" -- like radio, TV, and the internet) may specialize in certain functions-- newspapers became well-known for their focus on daily news (the function of providing information), while television became known for a focus on entertainment, for example.

Back in the "old days," in the 1700s and 1800s, the media were originally called "the press." This word was derived from the printing press, without which a newspaper or magazine could not publish. That is why you see that terminology used in the First Amendment, where it guarantees "Freedom of the Press." As for the term "media," it is relatively recent. It began to appear sporadically in the late 1940s, but did not come into common use till the late 1960s, in large part due to the growing influence of television as a source for news and information.

The mass media come to us in a number of different forms. They include radio, television, internet, newspapers, magazines, books, recorded music, and movies.

Radio

There are many ways to communicate to an audience. Sometimes, you will be in a room giving a speech directly to the people who have come to hear you. Sometimes, you will write an essay for a newspaper or magazine, and people will read it. And sometimes, you will communicate by talking to the audience on radio or TV or Skype or some other method. Rule #1 in being a good communicator is to know your audience. You will give a different kind of presentation depending on who your audience is. You should consider the age of your audience (are you speaking to little kids or to adults); the size (is it a big group of people, or just a small group); the location (is this talk being given in a TV studio, a church, a classroom, etc); and the time (will you be speaking for an hour, or just a very few minutes).

If you are speaking to an in-person audience, you will make your communication better by bringing in examples and illustrations, by having a good personality, and by showing that you know a lot about your topic. If you are writing an essay, your communication will be better if you are interesting, and if you tell a story that makes people want to know more. But whether in person or in writing, a good communicator is prepared: practice your talk, speak or write in a way that is clear, and try your best to give the audience useful information.

Yes and no. There is a theory called "agenda setting" which says the press (the media) don't tell you what to think, but they do tell you what to think about. In other words, what the press reports as the big stories, that is what the public will think about and talk about. What the press ignores or avoids, people won't learn about it easily, so they won't have an opinion on it. But conversely, the audience can certainly influence press coverage-- if the public demands more information about some subject or some story, the press will pay more attention to it and do some extra reporting, to make sure the audience is satisfied.