Characteristics of Mass Communication
According to McQuail mass communication is a communication
takes place at the broader community level. At this level communication is done
using mass media. The main features of mass communication are:
- The source is a formal organization and the sender is professional;
- The message is diverse and predictable;
- Processes are processed and standardized;
- Messages as products that have a selling value and symbolic meaning;
- The relationship between communicant and communicator takes place in one direction;
- Be impersonal, non moral and calculative.
Mass communication according to Wright, is a special type of communication
social involving the nature of the audience, the nature of the form of communication and the nature
communicator.
a. Nature Audience
Mass communication is shown towards a wide audience, heterogeneous and anonymous.
The notion is: - A wide audience is if the communicator is not direct
interacting with the audience at certain periods during communication
do. - Heterogeneous or various positions, age, gender, education and more.
- Anonymity, individually unknown or unknown by
communicator
b. The nature of the form of communication
Characteristics of mass communication: general, fast and cursory. Social consequences
which need to be considered is as a tool of social control. On the other hand, because
its emphasis on timely, then the delivery of information is
superficiality (not deep), and sensationalism.
c. The nature of the communicator
Mass communication is an organized communication. Communicator
in the mass media working through a complex organization with
an extensive division of labor, and a certain cost.