Communication

vis-à-vis
Mass Communication
 • Communication refers to people or groups of
people imparting or exchanging messages
through speaking, writing gestures, or
even using other symbolic forms by utilizing
a variety of channels for sending and receiving.
What is
communication?
• There are five types of communication the
interpersonal communication, mediated
interpersonal communication, small
group communication, organizational
communication, and public
communication.
 • A telephone conversation or an e-mail
exchange between two or more people is a
What is mediated form of mediated interpersonal
interpersonal communication.
communication?
• Technology stands in between the parties
communicating and becomes the channel by
which the message is sent or received.
 • The imparting or exchanging of information on
large scale to wide range of people.

• The term commonly used to refer to

What is mass communication systems that are configured to
communication? create, produce, and disseminate media texts
to mass audiences.

• Mass communication is the process of

transmitting ideas, information, to large
numbers of people through mass media.
How texting phenomenon affected communications by media and
information?

When you send a text message to another person, you are using cellphone
as a means of communication. Your message sent through the cellphone
transmitted by the signals provided by the mobile phone company and lands to the
intended receiver’s cellphone. It is an example of a mediated interpersonal
communication assisted by the technology provided by cellphones.
EDSA II Phenomenon

However, as attested by the EDSA II phenomenon, cellphone technology

was significantly used to topple a government, as illustrated in the article of Vicente
Rafael, “The Cellphone and the Crowd: Messianic Politics in Contemporary
Philippines.”
“This essay explores the role of the cell phones and the practice of texting
within the context of the civilian backed coup that overthrew President Joseph
Estrada in January of 2001 popularly known as "People Power II. " It focuses in
particular on a set of political fantasies among the Filipino middle class, including
their belief in the power of communication technologies to transmit messages at a
distance and in their ability to possess that power.”
 EDSA II
Phenomenon
How did the EDSA II Phenomenon started?

On January 16, 2000, a text message landed on somebody’s phone

enthusiastically calling out concerned citizens to mass up at the EDSA Shrine, after
11 senators voted to block the opening of a sealed envelope that contained the
evidence of President Estrada’s corruption and hidden wealth. The public responded
with outrage over the apparent move to block the truth. The text message could
have borne these words: “FULL MBLSN 2DAY AT EDSA.” (Full mobilization today at
EDSA.) and “GO 2 EDSA WEAR BLCK BRING UR FRENDS.” (Go to EDSA, wear black,
bring your friends.) By 8:00 in the evening, around 20,000 had already gathered at
the EDSA Shrine, and the days followed saw more people, not just from Metro
Manila but from the nearby provinces as well.
Is the EDSA II event propelled by
texting is a form of mass
communication? Or just more
complex illustration of mediated
interpersonal communication?
What is Mass Communication?
• According to McQuail (1969, 2), mass communication “comprise the
institutions and techniques by which specialized groups employ
technological devices (press, radio, films, etc.) to disseminate symbolic
content to large, heterogeneous, and widely dispersed audiences.”
• McQuail’s definition signals us to two basic concepts which cue us to the defining
features of mass communication–first, technological devices and second, the
magnitude and scope of its audiences.
Communication vis-à-vis Mass Communication

• These two forms of communication are very much interrelated. Technology brings
SYMBOLIC AND COMPLEX MESSAGES to large, heterogeneous, and widely
dispersed audiences.

• Mediated interpersonal communication resembles mass communication in its

ability to reach large numbers of people.
Communication vis-à-vis Mass Communication

• The similarity between interpersonal communication and mass communication is

the ability of both to reach huge numbers of recipients or audience.

• The most important differences relate to these three elements:

1.) The source of message.
2.) The process of transmittal.
3.) The way the feedback is generated and sent.
 Mediated Interpersonal Mass
Communication Communication

Sandy’s organization, the Kongreso ng mga

Mamamayang Pilipino or Kompil, is interviewed
Sandy talks to his friends and
as part of the featured in the primetime news.
colleagues in a meeting, over
Sandy and his colleagues turn up at a late night
coffee, sends e-mails, and text
talk show and at the end of his 15-minute spiel,
MESSAGE messages informing them of the
he gives a persuasive call to action. Flashed on
planned mass action at the EDSA
the screen are the e-mail addresses and the
shrine.
telephone number of the organizers of the mass
action.

Sandy himself, as the leader of the The television programs.

SOURCE organization.

The format of the news programme and the talk

Sandy composing the message show that is able to accommodate the message
ENCODING himself. of Sandy as a concerned citizen and leader of
political organization.
 Mediated Interpersonal Mass
Communication Communication

The phone, the cell phone, and

CHANNEL Broadcast network.
the e-mail.

The millions of people who are tuned in to the

RECEIVER Dozens of individuals.
television programs.

The dozens of individual who

Members of the audience who are tuned in to
DECODING receive Sandy’s e-mails, phone
the show.
calls, and text messages.

The returned phone calls, e-mails,

The number of people who turned up and
FEEDBACK and text messages sent back to
expressed support for Sandy’s call.
Sandy.

Could be glitches in the internet

Words or ideas that members of the audience
NOISE connection, the hums in the
cannot grasp or language they cannot
INTERFERENCE telephone lines, or too many text
understand.
messages being sent.
Mediated Interpersonal Communication

• The term "mediated communication" refers to any situation where a technological

medium is introduced into face-to-face interaction. This includes interpersonal
mediated communication, media-simulated interpersonal communication, person-
computer interpersonal communication, and unicommunication. Modes of
interpersonal mediated communication include telephone conversations, letters,
electronic mail, and audio/video cassettes. The use of these technologies has
altered relationships and made face-to-face contact avoidable. Although there is
immediacy of feedback, there is also lack of privacy and communication control
Mass Communication

• Mass communication (or communications) can be defined as the process of

creating, sending, receiving, and analyzing messages to large audiences via
verbal and written media. It is an expansive field that considers not only how and
why a message is created, but also the medium through which it is sent. These
mediums are wide-ranging, and include print, digital media and the Internet,
social media, radio, and television. Mass communication is multidisciplinary in
nature, incorporating elements of related fields such as strategic communication,
health communication, political communication, integrated marketing
communications, journalism, and more.
Communication vis-à-vis Mass Communication

• Interpersonal communication, in as much as it is mediated by technology,

appears to be limited in each reach; mass communication, however, is able to
reach huge audiences at the same time. Mediated interpersonal communication
too appears like messages created by individuals or perhaps teams, while mass
communication is created by huge, mostly powerful and extensive organizations.
• In the example we have cited earlier, the huge number of Filipinos who gathered
at the EDSA Shrine in a mass action that showed popular sentiments against an
equally populist president, was a combination of both mediated interpersonal
communication and the reach of mass communication. While the first one
involved the crafting of messages by an individual, the second one involved a
media organization that has the capacity to command a huge viewership.
Communication vis-à-vis Mass Communication

• The involvement of huge and expansive organizations is central to the idea of

mass communication. Mass communication is carried out by organizations which
are part of a bigger assembly or network of institution is carried out by
organizations which are part of a bigger assembly or network of institutions that
form an industry. Like the manufacture of products in a factory assembly line,
they produce media in an industrialized setting, involving a remarkable size of
workers with specialized knowledge, machinery, technology, and channels for the
distribution and dissemination of knowledge.