function and uses of mass media

FOUR FUNCTIONS OF MASS MEDIA

Modern mass media serve functions very similar to those fulfilled by traditional media in some ancient societies, and in some developing countries today. Western media theorists generally identify three major functions; surveillance of the environment, interpretation of the information and prescription for conduct, and the transmission of heritage. The developmental and liberation or empowerment functions, or even the ritualistic or celebratory functions of the media rarely find mention in Euro-American media theory. South American media theorists have contributed to our understanding of media for 'liberation while African and Asian scholars have explored the relevance of media to 'national development'.

Information

Surveillance of the environment relates to information or “news” about happenings in society. The mass media carry out this function by keeping us posted about the latest news in our own region and around the world. In rural societies, however, the word-of-mouth method is still the most credible means of spreading news.

But the mass media cannot or should not stop at watching the horizon for us, through news bulletins or advertisements or documentaries. They need, and often do help us 'to correlate our response to the challenges and opportunities which appear on the horizon and to reach consensus on social actions'. In rural India, the panchayat meetings help the village elders to decide on the challenges and the opportunities. The mass media help us to keep the culture and heritage of our society alive, and to transmit it to others. This is what the media should ideally do, but often don't. Folk media serve a similar purpose in developing countries.

Entertainment

A fourth function is the vital function of entertainment. Entertainment has been a legitimate function of the traditional folk media, but the mass media provide it with a vengeance They help to pass the time, and to relax with family and friends.

Anthropologists of culture and communication discern a symbolic function of the media: the media provide a shared symbolic environment'. Victor Turner, for instance, believed that the media provide a 'liminal' ritualistic experience. George Gerbner saw television as the central symbol of American culture today. Horace New-comb and other 'culturalists' (such as James Carey and Robert White) perceive the media as a ritualistic and 'liminal' experience. Besides, the providing mass media lead us to re-work and re-define our 'self-identities' and our 'collective identities'.

Advertising

An equally vital function is that of the mass media helping to sell goods and services through sponsorships and commercials. The commercial function has indeed been served well, perhaps too well, especially in the United States, where the networks would have to close down if the support from commercials were to dry up. At the same time, it would be suicidal to let this function dominate the mass media at the expense of the other four functions. India too promotes the commercial function, and has allowed its representatives to take over the programming of radio and television. This is equally true of the press and its dependence on advertising.

Development

In the developing countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America, the mass media, which include traditional media, have a different function to perform. In a word, development communication i.c., communication that focuses on the information needs of the poor and the oppressed, and their socio- economic and cultural interests.

Uses of the media

While these may be the five functions of the mass media i does not necessarily follow that audiences go to them for the same reasons. In his book The Play Theory of Mare Communication, William Stephenson argues that fun is both the greatest impact and the greatest public service of the mass media. Audiences use them as a form of play, or lila.

 So, for a good number of the audience, the mass media may be marvellous time-fillers, like listening to the radio while cooking or while driving, or reading a book during a long train journey. Further, some people use the media to fulfill psychological and social needs. They perhaps get vicarious enjoyment out of sex and violence in the media, and use the media to get topics for conversation at work, or to solve their own problems. Still others might seek information, merely to be well-informed, or perhaps to learn how higher-status people dress and live. Or, they might watch advertisements on TV not so much to know more about a product as to assure themselves that they have bought the best product! These are the variety of uses and ‘gratifications' of the media.

So whatever functions the media pundits say the mass media have, the people will continue to use them in the way they (the people, not the pundits) like. It is in this sense that audiences are active' rather than 'passive' users of the mass media. It is the members of the audience, after all, who have to actively interpret and make sense of the media in terms of their own needs, interests and experiences. Therein lies the real power of audiences.

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Milan Tomic

Hi. I’m Designer of Blog Magic. I’m CEO/Founder of ThemeXpose. I’m Creative Art Director, Web Designer, UI/UX Designer, Interaction Designer, Industrial Designer, Web Developer, Business Enthusiast, StartUp Enthusiast, Speaker, Writer and Photographer. Inspired to make things looks better.

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