Media Magazine

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Building credibility is the key

For those in the media it’s always interesting to learn how newspapers or television channels are faring, who the movers and shakers are, what the buzz is like, what the grapevine is, what the managements are up to, etc. So, a headline on the front page such as ‘TOI bigger than next 3 papers put together’ draws your attention immediately and gets you hooked. It’s not strange any more to see how newspapers or news publishing organisations use surveys to their advantage, the objectiv...

Cash for Coverage: Bribery of Journalists Around the World

Introduction To appreciate the full irony of what happened to Alexandra Wrage, it is necessary to know that she is the founder and president of a non-profit association that helps multinational corporations deal with bribery and corruption around the world. Her organization, TRACE International, wanted publicity for an event in India and asked for a proposal from a respected local media-relations firm. The firm submitted two proposals, but Wrage was confused: they were full of “oblique languag...

Communication and Mass Communication

Some students of journalism and mass communication fail to recognise the basic differences between “communication” and “mass communication”; they use the two terms interchangeably. This article is a humble attempt to make all students of journalism and mass communication understand the fundamental differences between communication (C) and mass communication (MC). Later on, we shall dwell at length on “mass” in MC. Communication is at the base of all social intercours...

Correlation of Parts of Society and Interpretation of Events and Issues (Major and Minor Functions of the Media - ii)

It is necessary for citizens to get an interpretation of the economic, political, and cultural significance of various events. The media do such interpretation through features, editorials, special articles, letters to the editor, and special discussions on radio or TV. The Internet helps citizens to exchange views on important developments. Certain wrong actions taken by government agencies (Gawakadal in Kashmir) and wrong actions by citizens (Khairlanji, Maharashtra) are explained by the media thr...

Democratic Participant Media Theory

This theory is the latest in the field of media theories, and Professor McQuail is its proponent. Its location is mainly in rich, developed countries where the citizens have the scientific, technological and financial means to put the latest innovations in inter-personal communication to practical and regular use. It is by no means confined to the rich developed countries because science and technology is universal; all countries can make use of them provided there is a will to do so, particularl...

Dysfunctions of the Media

Charles Wright was the first to propound the theory that there were dysfunctions of mass communication. Ethicisation This is a phenomenon peculiar to mass communication. The mass media have taken over the functions of the elders in the family, such as parents, aunts and uncles, elder brothers, and elder sisters. Also, elders in society, such as priests and senior leaders of the community, have become inactive these days in the matter of counselling the youngsters in matters relating to gro...

Election in the Time of Media Hype

Elections play a pivotal role in a democracy. The democratic form of government is well-decided by the free and fair exercise of franchise by the voters in a democracy. The elections in our country too are conducted with such a spirit. India being the largest democracy in the world, the elections here always attract global attention. This has been the practice from the very beginning of electioneering in the country. The Election Commission of India (ECI), a Constitutional body, has the sole responsibi...

Electric (Wired) and Electronic (Wireless) Communication Towards Broadcasting in the World

Three major revolutions occurred in the world of communications during the 19th century—the telegraph, the telephone and the wireless (radio). We call the first two “wired” and the third, “wireless” communication. Although the telegraph is no longer important for the 21st century, and we cancelled the system in India and other parts of the world in 2013, we should know its history. Experiments in Europe, particularly by Michael Faraday in England, Alessandro Volta in Italy...

Emergence of Social Media as Fifth Estate

With the advent of information and communication technologies, social networking sites have been growing at an amazing pace, and catalysing civil society movements, and bringing in political changes in various parts of the globe. This has become a challenge to the so-called mainstream media. The social media played a creative role in movements like the Arab Spring, Occupy Wall Street, and India Against Corruption. The Fourth and fifth Estates According to Wikipedia, the “Fourth Estat...

Entertainment (Media Functions - iv)

It was Charles Wright who added the function of entertainment to Lasswell’s three functions listed above. The function of entertainment is achieved through TV, Radio, Internet and new media technologies such as video and audio discs. (Cassettes, tapes and cartridges are things of the past now; they have been replaced by discs, CDs, DVDs). Humorous “Sitcoms” (situation comedies) have earned a permanent place in the Western media; here in India, we have tear-jerking serials,...