Mass Communication

Mass communication is the term used to describe the academic study of various means by which individuals and entities relay information to large segments of the population all at once through mass media. It is usually understood to relate to newspaper and magazine publishing, radio, television, and film, as they are used both for disseminating news and for advertising.


Characteristics of Mass Communication

Five characteristics of mass communication are identified by John Thompson.

Firstly, it comprises both technical and institutional methods of production and distribution^[13]. This is evident in the history of media, from print to the Internet, each able to be utilized commercially. Secondly, it involves the 'commodification of symbolic forms'^[14] as the production of materials rely on its ability to manufacture and sell large quantities of the work. Just as radio stations rely on its time sold to advertisements, newspapers rely on its space for the same reasons.

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