Mass communication: Trends, traits and theories

Mass communication is a term used in a variety of ways, which despite the potential for confusion, is usually clear from the context. “Mass Communication” is often used incorrectly to refer to the dissemination of entertainment, arts, information and messages by television, radio, newspapers, magazines, movies, recorded music and associated media. This general use of the term is only appropriate as designating the most commonly shared features of such otherwise disparate phenomena as broadcast television, cable, video playback, theatre projection, recorded song, radio talk, advertising, the front page, editorial page, sports column, comics and pages of newspaper. In this usage, “mass communication” refers to the activities of the media as a whole and fails to distinguish among specific media, modes of communication, genres of text or artifact, production or reception situations, or any question of actual communication.   Key words: Communication, mass communication, news, information, entertainment, newspapers, magazines, radio, television, advertising, production.