What is Mass Communication?

Medium? Media?

Medium - singular Media - plural

Intrapersonal Communication Interpersonal Communication Mass Communication

Intrapersonal Communication (internal) Interpersonal Communication (other people, direct, face-to-face) Mass Communication

Sender ---- Message ---- Receivers through a Channel Medium Vehicle

Mass Communication according to Shirley Biagi, author of text 1. Message is sent using some form of media (newspaper, TV) 2. Message is delivered rapidly 3. Message reaches large groups of different kinds of people within short period of time

Mass Communication according to media authors Agee, Ault, Emery Process of delivering information, ideas and attitudes… to a sizable, diversified audience… through use of media designed for that purpose.

Mass Communication according to media critic Joseph Dominick A process by which a complex organization… with the aid of one or more machines produces and transmits… public messages… that are directed at large, heterogeneous and scattered audiences

Mass Communication Common elements Sender - often team or organization Message - sent through channel or machinery Receiver - large, diverse group

So who cares? Why does that definition matter?

Differences between interpersonal and mass communication?

Feedback?

Noise? Literal or Mechanical

Noise? (Internal to audience)

Audience Noise Selective exposure or attention Selective perception Selective retention

Thinking question(s): How do differences between interpersonal communication and mass communication relate to the effect the communication has on the audience? How much impact can mass communication have on an audience? How much impact can a mass communication have on attitude formation and change?