COURSE: MASS COMMUNICATION

What are the four theories of Mass communication?

Mass Communication refers to the dissemination of information through a medium to a larger

Authoritarian
The Authoritarian Theory outlines a system with limited room for public criticism, and the
government controls the information that can be transmitted. North Korea is an example of a
country with this Mass communication system. The media is heavily censored and regulated by
the government.

Libertarian Theory
The libertarian theory describes mass communication without censorship or government
oversight. Some libertarian theory tenets, according to Daramola (2003), are as follows,
1. There should be no obligation to any theory
2. No restrictions should be put on gathering data for dissemination as long as it is done legally.
He calls libertarian theory the cornerstone of thought.

Soviet- Communist Theory

Mass communication is described under the Soviet-Communist Theory when the state owns the
media outlets. Folarin (1998) outlines the basic tenets of social responsibility theory: to serve the
political system by making information on public affairs generally accessible and to protect the
rights of the individual by acting as a watchdog over the government and others.

Social Responsibility Theory

There is freedom of speech in the context of the social responsibility theory, but there are also a
few restrictions. Kunzick (1988) and McQuail (1987), cited by Folarin (1998), observe the basic
tenets of social responsibility theory to include:
 I. serve the political system by making information on public affairs generally
accessible.
II. Protect the individual's rights by acting as a watchdog over the government.
III. iii. provide good entertainment, among others
Ghana is a country that practices the social responsibility theory. While there’s freedom of the
press, there’s also a responsibility to ensure people do not incite violence or cause national chaos
through their speech.

The Role of TV, Newspapers, Radio and Magazines in Mass Communication.

As established above, Mass communication involves disseminating information through a

Newspapers
Newspapers constitute what is known as print media in Mass Communication. They are one of
the earliest forms of Mass Communication media. As the name suggests, Newspapers inform the
public with news and topical issues at a particular time. Newspapers have straight news sections,
opinion articles, and sections for trending news. Aside from feeding the public with information,
they serve as a medium for the general populace to voice their opinions on trending issues
through opinion articles. Though the rise of new media has reduced people’s interest in
newspapers, it is impossible to replace newspapers for their role in mass communication.

Magazine
Magazines can be described as the cousins of newspapers. They are also print media platforms
but publish only specialized and tailored content to a specific audience. Magazines include
fashion magazines, sports magazines, and literary magazines. They play a role of providing
evergreen- content that is not short-span - and relevant information in specific areas. Magazines
are more visual than newspapers and are a good source of entertainment for the general public.

Radio
Radio is a good source of entertainment and a medium for people to voice their opinions and
discuss social issues. Still very popular and more relevant than newspapers, radio also serves as a
means of entertainment and dissemination of information to people. There are different kinds of
radio, including campus, commercial, and community radios. They are vital in airing people’s
opinions and discussing pertinent issues in a given location.

TV
Television is an integral part of mass communication. Television broadcasts news, entertainment
shows, and programs that discuss relevant national issues. They also serve as a good source of
daily information. Aside from the above roles, televisions play a crucial role in entertainment.
They air shows that keep viewers entertained.

How New Media is Changing the Face of Mass Communication

Rice and Ronal (1984) describe New Media as communication technologies that enable or
enhance interaction between users and between users and content. The New Media Institute
defines New Media as “a catchall term used to define all related to the internet and the interplay
between technology, images, and sound.” New media is digital and leverages technology to
disseminate information. It includes social media platforms like Twitter that are now used to
spread news and provide entertainment and smartphones. There’s no doubt new media is
changing the face of mass communication.
Like many other things, the impact of new media on mass communication can be negative and
positive.
In this write-up, I shall examine the pros and cons of new media and its effects on mass media.

Positively, new media has helped spread information faster than traditional media outlets. In the
old, it would take up to three days for some communities to receive newspapers from wherever
they are printed. With the rise of new media, people no longer depend solely on print media
before accessing information. Mass communication aims to reach a larger audience across a
specific geographic boundary with information. New media does this and more. People can even
access data across borders and share their divergent views on a topic without necessarily being at
a particular place in time.

New media has helped create new jobs for more people in Mass communication. Things like
Mobile journalism, blogging, and Newsletters were birthed from the New Press. With the rise of
new media, more people can comfortably use their smartphones to create content for
consumption as their full-time jobs.

Consequently, new media has changed the way news is verified recently. With traditional media
outlets, it is easy to verify sources of information or trace/attack a source of unverifiable
information. However, with new media, one can quickly spread false information online.

In conclusion, new media is constantly evolving. It will, therefore, be a rush to scrap it altogether
due to the negative impact. However, while we celebrate the excellent way it has impacted
journalism, like making information access more accessible, we cannot ignore the wrong side of
it. Hence, embracing new media to suit consumer tastes is essential, but do so cautiously.

References

Daramola, Ifedayo. Introduction to Mass Communication. Rothan Press Limited, 2003

Folarin, B. (1998). Theories of Mass Communication: An Introduction. Ibadan:

McQuail, D. (2010). McQuail’s Mass Communication Theory (6th Edition). Thousand Oaks,
California: Sage

Rice, Ronald E. (1984). The New Media: Communication, Research, and Technology (1st ed.).
CA: SAGE Publications. ISBN 978-0803922716.
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Siebert, F., Peterson, T., Peterson, T. B., & Schramm, W. (1956). Four theories of the press: The
authoritarian, libertarian, social responsibility, and Soviet communist concepts of what the press
should be and do (Vol. 10). University of Illinois press

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