1. The Dynamics of Mass Communication
Chapter 1
Communication: Mass and Other Forms
The Dynamics of Mass Communication
Seventh Edition
Joseph R. Dominick

2. The Nature and History of Mass Communications
Part 1
The Nature and History of Mass Communications

3. Chapter 1
Communication:
Mass and Other Forms

4. 8 Elements of the Communication Process
Chapter 1
Communication: Mass and Other Forms
8 Elements of the Communication Process
Encoding
Source
Message
Channel
Receiver
Feedback
Noise
Decoding
Encoding the message: Activities a source goes through to translate thoughts and ideas into a form that can be perceived by the senses
Message: The actual physical product that the sender encodes may range from the short, simple and inexpensive to the long, complex and costly
Channels: Refers to the ways in which the message travels to the receiver
Decoding the message: The opposite of the encoding process
Receiver: The target of the message
Feedback: Refers to responses from receiver that may alter later messages from source
. positive feedback: encourages current communication message or pattern
. negative feedback: tries to change the communication or even terminate it
Noise: Anything that interferes with the delivery of the message
. semantic noise occurs when people have different meanings for different words
. mechanical noise occurs if there’s a problem with a machine being used for communication
. environmental noise occurs when noise external to the process interferes with it

5. The Communication Process
Chapter 1
Communication: Mass and Other Forms
The Communication Process

6. Communication Settings
Chapter 1
Communication: Mass and Other Forms
Communication Settings
Interpersonal Communication
Machine-Assisted Communication
Mass Communication
Interpersonal Communication
Characteristics of Interpersonal Communication
. one person (or group) interacting with another person (or group) without the aid of a mechanical device
. the source and receiver are in the immediate physical presence of one another
Interpersonal communication as profiled by the communication elements:
. source and receiver can be individuals or groups
. encoding is usually a one-step process
. a variety of channels are usually available for use
. messages are relatively difficult for receiver to terminate
. produced at little or no expense
. messages are generally private
. message can pinpoint highly specific targets
. feedback is immediate

7. Mass Communication . . .
is the process by which a complex agency produces and transmits public messages directed at large, heterogeneous and scattered audiences with the aid of machines.

8. Chapter 1 Communication: Mass and Other Forms
Mass Communication
Source acts within organizational roles
Internet: one person can be a mass source
Sender: little details about audiences
Encoding always a multi-stage process
Channel options more restricted
More than one machine in sending process

9. Mass Communication (Continued)
Chapter 1
Communication: Mass and Other Forms
Mass Communication (Continued)
Messages public; same sent to everyone
Message termination easiest here
Messages expensive to produce
Typically requires multiple decoding
Flow usually one-way--source to receiver
Feedback difficult to initiate

10. A prime distinction between . . .
Chapter 1
Communication: Mass and Other Forms
A prime distinction between . . .
mass communication and interpersonal or mechanical communication is that audiences members are:
large
heterogeneous
geographically diversified
largely anonymous to one another
almost always self-defined

11. Mass Communication (traditional media) Defining Characteristics
Chapter 1
Communication: Mass and Other Forms
Mass Communication (traditional media) Defining Characteristics
complex, formal organizations
multiple gatekeepers
need lots of money to operate
exist to make a profit
highly competitive
Complex and Formal Organizations
. typically a well-defined organizational structure characterized by specialization, division of labor, and focused areas of responsibility.
. communication becomes product of bureaucracy; decisions made on many levels, often in highly formalized channels (group decisions and committees, for example)
Multiple Gatekeepers
A gatekeeper is any person (or group) who has control over what material eventually reaches the public; the more complex the organization, the more gatekeepers will be found.
High Operating Expenses
It often costs millions of dollars to buy and maintain a mass media organization, which is one of the reasons that explain the current trend towards media consolidation of ownership.   
Competition for Profits
Most media organizations in the U.S. exist to make a profit; if they don’t they will soon go out of business. Most profits are usually made by selling audiences to advertisers, and since audiences are the source of profits, media organizations compete with one another as they try to attract audiences.

12. The Internet as Mass Communication
Brings publishing costs down to individual affordability
Web sites can be produced by individuals
Bypasses gatekeepers, editors; creativity reigns
Sites can have low start up and maintenance costs
Web sites may or may not exist for profit
Competition for audiences doesn’t play vital role here

13. Mass Communication Media
Chapter 1
Communication: Mass and Other Forms
Mass Communication Media
Defining Mass Media
medium is singular
media is plural
Media fragmentation or segmentation
Mass Media Symbiosis
Disintermediation
Defining Mass Media: A medium is the channel through which a message travels from source to receiver (“medium” is singular; “media” is plural). Mass media include not only the mechanical devices that transmit messages, but also the institutions that use these devices to transmit messages. A media vehicle is a single component of the mass media, such as a newspaper, radio station, or magazine.
The End of Mass Communications As We Know It? Mass communication has become less mass and more selective over the past few decades. This process is called fractionalization or segmentation of the mass media audience. Causes include: an increase in one-parent families, a decrease in discretionary personal time, an increase in the number of media from which to choose, less time devoted to the media, an increase in demand for special interest content
Commercial organizations are also increasingly turning away from mass to target-marketing. While the channels of mass communications remain the same, more mass media are using those channels to reach increasingly more selective audiences.
Mass Media Symbiosis: Media symbiosis refers to the mutual dependence of one medium upon another for financial success (radio and recording, for example, or the film and television industries).
Disintermediation: Refers to the process whereby access to a product or service is given directly to the consumer, thus eliminating the intermediary, or “middleman,” who might typically supply the product or service. This phenomena is particularly evident now on the Internet and in particular on the World Wide Web. Disintermediation is of special concern to traditional media organizations because any large disruption of the distribution process can cause (and already has) considerable economic havoc in the traditional distribution and production process.

14. End of Chapter 1 Communication: Mass and Other Forms