CIT 3260 - MASS MEDIA COMMUNICATION

UNIT – I: MASS MEDIA

INTRODUCTION

Mass media is a term denoting that section of the media specifically designed to reach a very large
audience (typically at least as large as the whole population of a nation-state)

The history of mass communication stretches from prehistoric forms of art and writing, through basic
printing technology from around 800 A.D.; the invention of Gutenberg’s printing press in 1455; the first weekly
printed newspaper in Antwerp in 1605; the invention of radio by Marconi in 1895; television by John Logie
Baird in 1925; and finally, to the internet (the World Wide Web) by Tim Berners Lee in 1990.

The term mass media was coined in the 1920s, with the advent of nationwide radio networks, mass-
circulation newspapers, and magazines, especially in the United States, although mass media was present
centuries before the term became common.

Mass media can be one of the hardest forms of media within which to decipher what is true and what is
not. Given that mass media penetrates the whole of society, its reach and influence is immense. Therefore, the
responsibility of those participating in this type of communication is also great, as the future direction of human
society could well be guided by the mass media.

ORIGIN AND GROWTH

Mass Media has been evolving through the ancient periods when kings patronized their writers and
poets for writing books and creating dramas. The history of mass media can be traced back to the days when
dramas were performed in various ancient cultures. It has evolved through the ancient periods when kings
patronized their writers and poets for writing books and creating dramas. This was the first time when a form of
media was "broadcast" to a wider audience.

The power of mass media is known to the world. It has thrown away mighty dynasties and created new
empires. Mass media has helped in creating social awareness and has also provided people with an easy way of
living life. The print media played an important part in the historical events such as, The Renaissance, The
American War of Independence, The French Revolution and many more.

Early Years

The mass media started evolving as early as 3300 B.C., when the Egyptians perfected the hieroglyphics.
This writing system was based on symbols. Later in 1500 B.C., the Semites devised the alphabets with
consonants. It was around 800 B.C. that the vowels were introduced into the alphabet by the Greeks.

The Book
 Many books were written in ancient times, but sources confirm that the first printed book was the
‘Diamond Sutra’ written in China in 868 A.D. But with the slow spread of literacy in China and the high cost of
paper in the country, printing lacked the speed required to reach large numbers of people.

However, printing technology quickly evolved in Europe. In 1400 A.D., Johannes Gutenberg, a German
goldsmith, invented the printing press of movable type. Johannes Gutenberg's invention of the printing press
allowed for the mass production of books. The first book printed in the year 1453 A.D was, ‘The Gutenberg
Bible’. From a single city in Germany, the printing press spread all over Europe, like a wildfire. The invention
of the printing press gave rise to some of the first forms of mass communication, by enabling the publication of
books and newspapers on a scale much larger than was previously possible. The invention also transformed the
way the world received printed materials, although books remained too expensive to be called a mass-medium
for at least a century after that. In 1468 A.D. William Caxton produced a book with the first printed
advertisement in England. By the year 1500 A.D., two million copies of books were printed. In the next
hundred years, the printing rose to two hundred million copies.

The Rise of the Newspaper

Newspapers developed in the seventeenth century, with the first published weekly in Germany from
1609, but they took until the nineteenth century to reach a mass-audience directly. The first printed newspaper
was “The Relation”. Later, in the year 1690, Benjamin Harris printed the first colonial newspaper in Boston.
There was an increase in the circulation of newspaper in the nineteenth century. The first African American
paper titled “Freedom’s Journal” was published in the year 1827 and the first high-circulation newspaper in the
early 1800s was The Times. This was made possible by the invention of high-speed rotary steam printing
presses, and railroads which allowed large-scale distribution over wide geographical areas.

By the end of 1900, print media could be found in the form of books, pamphlets, magazines and
newspapers. Newspaper provided all the necessary information about the world for the people at remote
locations. Even today, newspapers remain an important global source of information.

Telegraph and Telephone

The first telegraph line was set in the year 1844 by Samuel Morse. And by the year 1858, the first
transatlantic cable was established, making it easier for people to communicate.

The telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell in the year 1876 which brought about a
revolution in the field of communication. People were now able to sit in the comfort of their homes and chat
with friends and relatives across the globe.

Radio and Television

 During the year 1894, the radio was invented by Guglielmo Marconi. Radios worked on the principle of
transmission of electromagnetic waves. As the transmission of radio programs began, it became a prominent
source of entertainment for the public.

The post–World War II era was marked by prosperity, and by the introduction of a seductive new form
of mass communication: television. In the year 1885, George Eastman invented the photographic film. The film
developed by Eastman helped Gilbert Grosvenor (father of photojournalism) to introduce photographs in
‘National Geographic’ in the year 1899. The television was invented by John Logie Baird in the year 1925. he
first television transmission was done in the year 1927 by Philo Farnsworth. Walt Disney produced the world’s
first full color film “Flower and trees” in the year 1932. It was during the 1950s that the black and white
television became a part of the American household. What was earlier in the paper could now be seen audio-
visually. Neil Armstrong’s walk on the moon was televised globally in color, in the year 1969.

The print media began losing popularity in the twentieth century with the emergence of televisions and
radios. Broadcast television became the dominant form of mass media. Broadcast technology, including radio
and television, had a hold on the imagination that newspapers and other print media found themselves having to
adapt to the new media landscape.

Although Print media was more durable and easily archived, and it allowed users more flexibility in
terms of time—once a person had purchased a magazine, he or she could read it whenever and wherever.
Broadcast media, in contrast, usually aired programs on a fixed schedule, which allowed it to both provide a
sense of immediacy and fleetingness. Until the advent of digital video recorders in the late 1990s, it was
impossible to pause and rewind a live television broadcast.

The media world faced drastic changes once again in the 1980s and 1990s with the spread of cable
television. During the early decades of television, viewers had a limited number of channels to choose from. In
1975, three major networks accounted for 93 percent of all television viewing. By 2004, however, this share had
dropped to 28.4 percent of total viewing, thanks to the spread of cable television.

Internet and Smartphone

In the second half of the twentieth century, the Internet evolved. With the concept of the Internet, the
world got globally connected. The e-mail technology developed during the 1970s. It was Tim Berners-Lee who
had come up with this idea of WWW (world wide web) in the year 1990. By the year 2004 Internet broadband
connected more than half of homes. Instant message services were introduced in the year 2001. Today, there are
more than two billion people who use the Internet. The world is now at our fingertips. With the click of a button
we can search for anything we want.
 n recent times, the introduction of smartphones has brought about a major change in the lives of people.
People do not have to wait for hours to avail valuable information. The portability of this device is an added
advantage. Smartphones have specific features such as touchscreen, GPS, web browsers, Wi-Fi connectivity
and many more applications which have added comfort and convenience.

Role, Objectives and Functions of Mass Media

Role of Mass Media

According to Wilbur Schramm (founder of the field of Communication Studies), the role of media in
development can be divided into three parts i.e. (i) to inform (ii) to instruct and (iii) to participate.

(i) To inform: for the development of the society, correct social, political and economic influence is the
main criteria. This information should be both national and international. People should be aware of the
areas or facts which hamper the development process.
(ii) To instruct: Mass literacy is an essential criteria to development. This is possible by imbibing basic
skills among the people. Mass media plays an important role in this. Mass media can instruct people and
educate them. Projects like Educational Television and Gyan Darshan are few such examples where
media is used to instruct people, educate them and teach them basic skills. These basic skills help people
to develop their standard of living.
(iii)To participate: Voluntary and steady participation of the citizen of the country is necessary for its
overall development. Such participation is possible in a liberal society. Such awareness is possible
through debate, conflict and discussion. Discussions and debate helps people to know current issues,
participate in developmental programme and bring a change in the standard of living of the society.

Objectives of Mass Media

The objectives of mass media are discussed below;

1. Inform People.
2. Build Public Opinion.
3. Persuade.
4. Circulate Government Policies.
5. Disseminate Health and Education Programs.
6. Provide Pleasure and Entertainment.
7. Establish Social Contact and Linkage.
8. Help in Facing Disaster And Calamity.
9. Highlight the Diplomatic Role.
10. Promote Political Ideologies.
1. Inform People: The most fundamental objective of mass communication is to provide information to mass
people. Information on mass communication may be related to education, weather, sports, products and
services, public holidays, festivals, recreation, and entertainment.

2. Build Public Opinion: Another important objective of mass communication is to create public opinion on
any national or international issue. Mass media attempts to create public opinion by providing their audiences
with a realistic picture of the world, activities of the leaders, governmental policies, etc. Mass media also tries to
build public opinion through special articles, editorials, and commentaries.

3. Persuade: Mass communication aims at persuading people to bring a change in their beliefs, opinions,
attitudes, and thinking on several issues like smoking, voting, religious convictions, donation, dowry culture,
etc. Moreover, business enterprises design various advertisements to persuade potential customers.

4. Circulate Government Policies: Another objective of mass communication is to announce and circulate
government programs and policies. Mass media can bring such policies to the public notice very quickly.

5. Disseminate Health and Education Programs: The government takes various health and educational
programmers like vaccination, sanitation, birth control, open education, mass education, etc. These health and
education programs are disseminated and implemented through mass media like radio, television, films,
newspapers, etc.

6. Provide Pleasure and Entertainment: The mass media are wonderful sources of pleasure and amusement.
Almost all mass media have an entertainment component. Television and radio arrange various programs for
pleasure and amusement of mass people. Newspapers and magazines publish articles on literary and cultural
events, sports, stories, etc. that also provide entertainment to the readers.

7. Establish Social Contact and Linkage: Mass communication also tries to establish and maintain social
contact and linkage among various races, tribes, or communities. Mass media create social contact and linkage
by giving messages of shared knowledge and experience.

For example, a campaign to raise funds for the treatment of certain diseases or for performing certain social
activities promotes social bondage and sympathy.

8. Help in Facing Disaster And Calamity: Mass communication also aims at creating public awareness to face
natural and men made disasters like floods, earthquakes, war, riots, etc. with due courage and energy. Through
mass media, necessary instructions, strategies, & programs are circulated so that people can take proactive
preparation.
9. Highlight Diplomatic Role: In this uni-global world, every country wants to highlight its diplomatic role in
global peacekeeping and development activities. Such a diplomatic role can conveniently be disseminated and
highlighted through mass media.

10. Promote Political Ideologies: Political parties rely on mass media to promote their ideologies, plans,
programs, and manifestos. With the help of mass media, they try to create public opinion in their favor. From
the above discussion, we can conclude that mass communication has diversified objectives. Different messages
have different aims. However, mass communication is mainly dedicated to ensuring the well-being of all classes
of people in society.

Functions of Mass Media

The mass media serves several general and many specific functions. In general, the mass media serves
information, interpretation, instructive, bonding, and diversion functions:

 Information function. We have a need for information to satisfy curiosity, reduce uncertainty, and better
understand how we fit into the world. The amount and availability of information is now overwhelming
compared to forty years ago when a few television networks, local radio stations, and newspapers competed
to keep us informed. The media saturation has led to increased competition to provide information, which
creates the potential for news media outlets, for example, to report information prematurely, inaccurately, or
partially.

 Interpretation function. Media outlets interpret messages in more or less explicit and ethical ways.
Newspaper editorials have long been explicit interpretations of current events, and now cable television and
radio personalities offer social, cultural, and political commentary that is full of subjective interpretations.
Although some of them operate in ethical gray areas because they use formats that make them seem like
traditional news programs, most are open about their motives.

 Instructive function. Some media outlets exist to cultivate knowledge by teaching instead of just relaying
information. Major news networks like CNN and BBC primarily serve the information function, while cable
news networks like Fox News and MSNBC serve a mixture of informational and interpretation functions.
The in-depth coverage on National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service, and the more
dramatized but still educational content of the History Channel, the National Geographic Channel, and the
Discovery Channel, serve more instructive functions.

 Bonding function. Media outlets can bring people closer together, which serves the bonding function. For
example, people who share common values and interests can gather on online forums, and masses of people
can be brought together while watching coverage of a tragic event like 9/11 or a deadly tornado outbreak.
 Diversion function. We all use the media to escape our day-to-day lives, to distract us from our upcoming
exam, or to help us relax. When we are being distracted, amused, or relaxed, the media is performing the
diversion function.

Types of Media
Media can be divided into three main categories:
1.Print Media

This type of news media used to be the only way of delivering information to the public. For the generations of
the 80s and 90s, print media was the only media of entertain. People relied on newspapers and magazines to
learn everything, from recipes and entertainment news to important information about the country or the world.
Print media includes:

 Newspapers – printed and distributed on a daily or weekly basis. They include news related to sports,
politics, technology, science, local news, national news, international news, birth notices, as well as
entertainment news related to fashion, celebrities, and movies. Today’s parents grew up with this type of
printed media.

 Magazines – printed on a weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annual basis. It contains information about
finance, food, lifestyle, fashion, sports, etc.

 Books – focused on a particular topic or subject, giving the reader a chance to spread their knowledge
about their favorite topic.

 Banners – used to advertise a company’s services and products, hung on easily-noticed sights to attract
people’s attention.

 Billboards – huge advertisements created with the help of computers. Their goal is to attract people
passing by.

 Brochures – a type of booklet that includes everything about one company – its products, services,
terms and conditions, contact details, address, etc. They are either distributed with the newspapers or
hand over to people. Check this article to learn more on how to ease the brochure design process here

 Flyers – used mostly by small companies due to the low cost of advertising. They contain the basic
information about a company, their name, logo, service or product, and contact information, and they are
distributed in public areas.

2. Broadcasting Media

Broadcasting media includes videos, audios, or written content that provides important or entertaining
information shared by different methods:
  Television – in the past, there were a few channels sharing various types of content, whereas now we
have hundreds of TV channels to choose from. Each channel delivers a different type of content, so you
have a separate channel for news, drama, movies, sports, animation, nature, travel, politics, cartoon, and
religion. It’s the number one broadcasting media due to its reach to the audience.

 Radio – uses radio waves to transmit entertaining, informative, and educative content to the public. Due
to its high reach to the audience, radio is widely used for advertising products and services. Radio is one
of the oldest means of entertainment, and today people often hear it to find out the weather and traffic
while commuting.

 Movies – film, motion picture, screenplay, moving picture, or movie has world-wide reachability. It’s
the best type of mass media to promote cultures and spread social awareness. Movies have always
played a huge part in the entertainment world.

3. Internet Media

Nowadays, we are relying on the Internet to get the news a lot more often than traditional news sources.
Websites provide information in the form of video, text, and audio. We can even choose the way we want to
receive the news. Types of Internet media include:

 Social networks or websites – including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Tumblr, LinkedIn,
Snapchat, Quora, Reddit, Pinterest, etc. They are user-friendly and widely used by people around the
world. Although we can find any news here, they may be misleading because of the lack of regulations
on the content shared.

 Online forums - an online place where we can comment, message, or discuss a particular topic. Forums
allow us to share knowledge with other people with the same interest. That’s why it’s regarded as the
best platform to seek support and assistance.

 Podcast – a series of audios focused on a particular topic or theme. We can listen to them on a computer
or a mobile phone. It’s a platform that allows anyone to share their knowledge and communicate with
the world. You can browse some podcast hosting sites to see what fits your needs best.

Origin and Development of Print Media

A printing press is a device for applying pressure to an inked surface resting upon a print medium (such as
paper or cloth), thereby transferring the ink. Typically used for texts, the invention of the printing press is
widely regarded as one of the most influential events in the second millennium, ushering in the period of
modernity. The printing press must be considered one of the greatest inventions ever made for the benefit of
mankind and one that had changed the world. The development of printing has made it possible for books,
newspapers, magazines, and other reading materials to be produced in great numbers, and it plays an
important role in promoting literacy among the masses.

Nowadays, print media generally refers to newspapers. Newspapers collect, edit and print news reports and
articles.

Origin

Johannes Gutenberg is usually cited as the inventor of the printing press. His 15th-century contribution to
the technology was revolutionary — enabling the mass production of books and the rapid dissemination of
knowledge throughout Europe. However, the history of printing begins long before Gutenberg's time.

Before the invention of paper, the ancient men used to write on palm leaves. Such kinds of manuscripts
are excavated from our heritage sites. The art of printing was first started in China during Tang Dynasty in 600
AD. The oldest known surviving printed work in a woodblock is a Buddhist scripture of 684 AD which is
preserved in Japan now.

The first printed book in China was a Buddhist text called “Diamond Sutra” by Wang Chick in 868 AD.
Johannes Gutenberg is considered as the father of printing press. He printed the Bible in 1940 using movable
printing blocks. Printing technology came to India in 1556. It was the Jesuit priests who brought this technology
to our country. The first book printed in India was in Portuguese language in Old Goa. It was Doctrine Christa
by St. Francis Xavier.

The First Newspaper

Even during the periods of kins in India and Rome, they used to print and circulate news as
proclamations to the people. In China they were termed as ‘tipao’ . These proclamations can be called as the
first forms of newspapers. “The Peking Gazette” , published from China, in 618 is believed to be the first
newspaper. In the initial stages it was handwritten and distributed among the readers, later it became printed
and circulated.

The Peking Gazette continued its publication till the beginning of the twentieth century. According to
the World Association of Newspapers, the first newspaper in the modern sense was published by Johann
Carolus in 1605 named “Relation aller Furnemmen und gedenckwandigen Historien” . In 1609, another
newspaper was started from Germany called “File” . Yet another newspaper in the modern concept was
published from Venice called “The Gazette” . The “Oxford Gazette” published in Oxford at 1655 was the first
one in modern sense. “The Times” , one of the greatest newspapers in the world started publishing in 1784, by
John Walter from London in its previous name “Daily Universal Register” .

The largest circulated newspaper is the “YomiYuri Shim bun” published from Japan. It has a circulation
of 1, 45,57, 000copies per day. The second and third largest circulated dailies in the world are also published
from Japan.

Early Communication Systems in India

The first Indian script developed in the Indus Valley around 2600 B.C. The primitive drawings and
heliographic characters found in caves and carvings of the temples and pillars are vibrant stories with
messages of their own. Messages were written on leaves and stones, using pictorial symbols and characters,
usually on rock paintings, stone engravings or carvings and sculptures. The most remarkable and emotive
method of communication was through music and lyrics. The rendering of the flute tenor or the melody and
pitch of a song conveyed very effectively a piece of good, bad or daunting news instantly across the village

Drumbeats and crude bushfires that cut across hills and valleys were used to convey distress signals.
The musical history of India is an integral part of the country's early history, where songs were the effective
media of communication. Mythology and ancient history also records traditional emissaries conveying
messages in an unconventional manner. Centuries down, the practice of using Brahmin priests for carrying
letters in a private postal system called the Brahmini Dak. The practice of using homing pigeons as message
carriers also prevailed from the earliest times.

Newspaper Printing in India

“Bengal Gazette” or “Calcutta Advertiser” or “Hickey՚s Gazette” is the first newspaper of India. It
was launched on January 29,1780 by James Augustus Hickey. The first issue had two pages which later
increased to four with a size of 35 CMS x 24 CMS. In the beginnings newspapers faced strongly oppose from
the governments because they criticized the evil rules of the government. In 1780, the second newspaper was
launched from Calcutta “The Indian Gazette” .

The “Calcutta Gazette” which started publication in 1784 and the “Bengal Journal” which was launched
in 1785 were the third and fourth newspapers to come out from Calcutta. The “Madras Courier” (1785) and
“Madras Gazette” (1795) were started from Madras. From Mumbai, the “Mumbai Herald” was launched in
1789. In 1818, Lord Hastings removed strict censorship on the press and Raja Ram Mohan Roy is said to be the
person who fought for this. The first language newspaper in India was started in Kannada language, the
“Kannada Samachar” .
 The first Indian language newspaper published by an Indian was also launched from Calcutta, “The
Bengali Gazette” by Gangadhar Bhattacharjee in 1816. The Gujarati daily “Mumbai Samachar” published from
Mumbai is the oldest existing newspaper not only in India but also in Asia. It was established in1822.

Cultural Awakening and Freedom Movement

Towards the end of 19th century, cultural and social reform movement s along with freedom struggle
started spreading in India. It prompted the growth of newspaper industry. “The Times of India” (1861) , “The
Pioneer” (1866) , “The Amrita Bazar Patrika” (1868) , “The Statesman” (1875) .

“The Hindu” (1887) and “The Tribune” (1880) were the important newspapers started during this
period. “The Hindustan Times” was started later, in 1923. In the regional languages, some papers that were
launched during that period continue even now as leading papers like “Malayala Manorama” (1888) . The
pioneer was started by Rudyard Clipping, the author of Jungle book from Allahabad.

With Gandhiji starting weeklies such as ‘Navajivan’ , ‘harijan’ , and Young India it give a new boost to
the print media. In India, we have 41 newspapers that are centenarian now.

Advent of Modern Technology

The print media is modernized by the technological revolution. Hand composing is replaced by
monotype and Linotype. Now, desktop publishing is quiet common. Besides, color printing also made the
newspapers more attractive now a days.

Internet Papers and Editions

Now almost all-important newspapers have internet editions and people prefer to read that in the fast-
moving life. Every newspaper has a website and if you visit the website, you can read multiple editions of that
for free. The newspapers solely published in internet are called web papers.

Other Forms of Print Media

Newspapers, magazines and weeklies are other forms of print media. They are published at regular
intervals. A weekly is published once a week and a monthly once a month. A fortnightly is published once in
two weeks. A biweekly is published twice every week.

A tri-monthly is one which is published every three months. These are also known as quarterlies. Then
there are certain publications that come out only once a year which are called annuals.

Social Media and its Impact on Society

Social media is a powerful revolution that has changed our lives all round; it has changed the
way that we socialize, conduct our businesses, engage in political affairs, build professions and set job
recruitments. It has attracted a massive number of users with an estimate of 3.5 billion users worldwide. The
major ways that these platforms have impacted our society:

1. Socialization

With the use of platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, how people socialize has been greatly
revolutionized. It has made it easy to connect to our family members, friends and relatives on a real-time basis.
With social media, people can share pictures and videos and communicate with their close ones. This has
strengthened relationships and it is bringing families together in a way that was not possible in the past.
Families, friends, relatives and businesses have the opportunity to share skills and improve on different
proficiencies. Additionally, people get to make and meet new friends.

2. Business

Businesses have greatly been impacted by social media — from marketing to interacting with customers
on a timely basis. A business that has embraced the use of social has a definite edge over its competitors. The
online platforms are a less expensive way for businesses to advertise their offerings on a real-time basis and to
attract more customers. It has made it easy for businesses to reach out to a wider customer base and improve
customer loyalty through different programmes.

Easy access to customers gives businesses the leverage to retain existing customers as well as to attract
more. This leads to great market share and greater profit margins and some good bucks for businesses.Through
interaction and feedbacks by businesses to their customers, they can understand the market quickly and adopt
new strategies, as well as conform to the dynamic customer's tastes and demands.

3. Politics

Social media has impacted politics in many ways. Nowadays, it is where most people get their news; in
some cases, this is before the media houses do. It is the medium that gives the easiest access to political and
other news.

These online platforms also allow people to air out their political grievances to their political leaders and
demand for actions to be taken. Its also a medium where mass political rallies are formed, campaigns are carried
out and even political unrests are most felt.

4. Job hiring

Social media has impacted job recruitments significantly. The majority of companies make their hiring
decisions based on one's social portfolio. Recruiters also use online networks to post job vacancies through
which they get their ideal candidates.
 It has also made it easy for job seekers to get access to job posts. This is evident on platforms like
LinkedIn, where job seekers can create their profile containing their skills and see what job opportunities
recruiters are posting.

5. Education

Many professions and skills have been built and learned through social media. There is a massive
increase in online learning where one can easily learn a skill and build a strong profession around it. The
existence of social media has led to an increase in the number of people undertaking distance learning, as well
as academic offerings such as writing services.

6. The negative impacts of social media

There are, however, negative impacts caused by social media. Despite it being a platform through which
we socialize, run our business and understand political affairs, here are some negative results to take into
consideration:

 Through sharing personal information, one's privacy is at risk of impersonations, theft and stalking —
among other vices. Nowadays, companies use social media to gauge job seekers. Posting anything
abusive or embarrassing could make you lose that job opportunities, because 'the internet never forgets'.
 Online social platforms are addictive and this has drastically reduced productivity at workplaces. This
impacts negatively on companies as they incur losses.
 In some instances, it has made some people — especially the introverts — to rely too much on the
virtual world as opposed to the real world.
 Cyberbullying is another worrying impact of social media. Results of cyberbullying have seen victims
falling into depression and, in more radical cases, has cost them their lives.
 Since information travels faster online, a piece of false information could quickly reach a big number of
people and cause great panic among the recipients.

Fourth Pillar of Media is Democracy

Democracy is described as the government by the people, for the people or it is considered to be the rule
of the people through their elected representatives. The term Media: Fourth Pillar of Democracy is coined by
Thomas Carlyle.

In keeping democracy alive and thriving, the media plays an important role. It is a connecting link
between government and people in a way that provides citizens with knowledge about government acts, policies
and inefficiencies. As a fourth pillar, the media plays an important part in achieving the true meaning of
democracy.

The media's role in linking government and citizens:

1. Source of information: For a democracy and its development, impartial information is critical. The
media helps to provide people with important knowledge. For example, data on economics, health ,
education, etc.
2. Educate: To educate people on topics of paramount importance to society, the media is vital. An
growing number of incidents of rape are a concern to society. It is necessary to disclose the exact
number of cases and to help raise society's awareness.
3. Awareness: The media reminds society of their democratic rights and the media helps in maintaining
checks and balances.
4. Ensuring fairness: The media plays an vital role in ensuring justice and the benefits of the government
policies reaching the weaker sections of the society. For instance, the Priyadarshini Mattoo case, Jessica
Lal case, Nitish Katara murder case and Bijal Joshi rape case are some famous crime cases that would
have remain unsolved without media intervention.
5. Watchdog: For a stable democracy, Media reporting on public affairs and investigations into
wrongdoing in the administration of public affairs is must. This means exposing circumstances of fraud
or abuse that favour politicians directly. This makes people vote for the best government to defeat a
corrupt and dishonest government.
Ex. Cobrapost released Operation Janambhoomi (the plot behind the Babri Masjid demolition), in
which the conspiracy behind the events of 6 December 1992 was brought to light.
6. Good Governance: In auditing government policies and spending, the media plays an important part.
An unbiased media is important for transparent reporting.
7. Accountability: An informed person, based on facts and statistics, should challenge government
policies to ensure accountability and answerability.
8. Dissemination of government policies: In order to propagate and disseminate different government
policies and initiatives, the media is relevant. In spreading awareness of Swachh Bharat and Beti Bachao
Beti Padhao etc., media played an important role.
What is Press Freedom?
 Freedom of the press has been regarded in India as part of the freedom of speech and expression
guaranteed by the Constitution under Article 19(1)(a).

 The limits on "freedom of expression and speech" also extend to "freedom of the press and the media."
  Article 19(2), on the following grounds, offers reasonable restrictions such as India’s sovereignty and
dignity, State protection, public order, decency, or morality, or in connection with court contempt and
defamation.

Why is press freedom necessary?

 It serves as a check on administrators and governments.

 A free press has a responsibility to lift its voice against any social disorder or evil.

 It works towards strengthening a nation's sovereignty and dignity.

 It helps to create an atmosphere where peace and harmony can be cultivated by the country's people.

 A free press is essential to a democratic society.

 The press offers the forum for the hearing of a multitude of voices.

 At national, regional and local level media is public’s watchdog as well as it is also an activist and
guardian as well as educator and entertainer.

 In India, the media has played a crucial role in providing people with knowledge about social and
economic ills.

Reference:

1. https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/mass_media

2. https://www.eolss.net/sample-chapters/c04/e6-33-02-01.pdf

3. https://entertainism.com/history-of-mass-media

4. https://open.lib.umn.edu/mediaandculture/chapter/1-3-the-evolution-of-media/

5.https://www.lkouniv.ac.in/site/writereaddata/siteContent/202004120825283934tara_bhatt_anthro_ROLE_OF
_MASS_MEDIA.pdf

6. https://www.iedunote.com/mass-communication

7. https://open.lib.umn.edu/communication/

8. https://whatagraph.com/blog/articles/different-types-of-mediachapter/15-2-functions-and-theories-of-mass-
communication/
9.https://www.shcollege.ac.in/wp-content/uploads/NAAC_Documents_IV_Cycle/Criterion-
II/2.3.2/Historyofprintmedia.pdf

10.https://www.flexiprep.com/NIOS-Notes/Senior-Secondary/Mass-Communication/NIOS-Class-12-Mass-
Communication-Ch-5-Introduction-to-Print-Media-Part-1.html

11. https://www.mediaupdate.co.za/social/147946/the-impact-of-social-media-on-our-society

12. https://upscwithnikhil.com/article/polity/media-the-fourth-foundation-of-democracy