Mass Media Messages

Mass Media Messages

A Mass Media Message is basically a message, an idea or information that has been reproduced and communicated using Mass Media channels. An existing idea is communicated in a form and format that appeals to the Audience and is circulated trough Mass Media Channels.

For a message to be communicated well, it is necessary that the message be designed in a manner that has clarity, brevity and presentability. Precision in the content does matter. Especially when it comes to Traditional Mass Media like, Radio, Television, Newspaper, books and Magazines. Although, one can add that Media Messages that are produced and displayed on New Media have broken these norms.

The print and electronic medium or for that matter the new media, have different formats for sending across the messages to people. While, newspapers, focussed on news reports, features and information; Books carried fiction, biographies, autobiographies, educational messages, etc. The Radio and Television provided their own formats of entertainment. The New media has opened a totally new concept of sending across mass mediated messages.

The radio catered to sending across messages that included audio entertainment through Music, interviews and also community development programmes on community radios. Radio channels also continue to persuade and promote different advertisements as these garner revenues for the Radio Channel. There are varied kinds of messages that come across on a radio channel. Often Radio Jockeys, through their narrative and their jokes in a subtle manner communicate messages that can range from simple jokes, to motivational stories, encouraging people for a cause, cajoling people to use a product or supporting a noble cause too. The messages vary. There have been times when a Radio has also been used in some countries and places for causing harm and spreading hatred towards others.

The Television is a massive media channel with huge Media institutions channelizing multiple media messages to a massive audience. These messages are reproduced in a highly professional manner with the use of technology. Television has often been used to persuade and propagate messages to audiences. Being an audio- visual medium its impact is considered as wider and greater that other mediums.

Television provides messages that informs, persuades and entertains. There are talk shows, documentaries, news reports, tele-serials, debates, educational channels, etc. It is a known factor that Hitler used Documentaries is a massive way to propagate his ideas to his people. Encyclopaedia Britannica defines propaganda as “manipulation of information to influence public opinion” (Britannica Concise Encyclopaedia).  Films, Serials, Videos and documentaries have often been used for persuasion and propaganda by many countries to channelise and create an impact on people’s minds. The persuasion could be to adapt to new practices, to convince people to buy a product or support a cause or as simple as manipulating information to give a positive image about a political party to garner votes.

Marshall Soules says in his book ‘ Media , Persuasion and Propoganda,’ ‘When a persuasive message is designed to benefit only the sender, it moves toward propaganda or coercion. Propaganda involves ‘systematic and deliberate attempts to sway mass public opinion in favour of the objectives of the institutions (usually state or corporate) sending the propaganda message’ (Snow [1998] 2010: 66).

Not all messages are necessarily for propaganda and persuasion. The arrival of New media and the concept of putting up messages and data on social networking forums has also led to several studies that have shown that certain messages also influence youth behaviour. New Media has provided a platform to individuals who load content onto social networking forums. It is these videos that have ended up going ‘Viral’ or popular on social networking forums bringing these individuals to limelight. Messages are basically uploaded to showcase one’s talent or as entertainment. There are others who upload information that are to be consumed by particular group members or family members only. And are basically family get together events, pictures or information. However, there are several websites that have been launched by individuals that provide hard core news and research, talented musicians and songsters and filmmakers today upload content for promotion and generating revenue of Social networking forums like YouTube.

It is a known factor that Firms, Companies, Corporations, Governments and political campaigns, Non- profit organizations, and even other Influential citizens like actors rely on both new and old media to create messages and ideas and disseminate them to the general public. In today’s world, the entire concept of Advertising, marketing, Branding and Public relations relies on Mass Media channels to promulgate messages that are profitable to the Firms, Educational institutes, Companies, Corporations, Governments, Political Parties, Non- profit organizations, Small time Businesses, etc.