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Full name: TAN HONG ZHE Full name:

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Course code: COM60504 Course title: INTRODUCTION TO MASS COMMUNICATION

Program name: BACHELOR OF MASS COMMUNICATION

Lecturer: NORHAYATI ABD MANAF

Assignment number: 03 Due date: 28 TH NOVEMBER 2021

Assignment title: Reflection Assignment

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Values of learning mass communication

Mass communication happens when the meaning between the mass media and the

large audience is being shared; culture is a given social group's learned behavior. As a student

taking Public Relations, the value of learning mass communication is using mass media to

solve a crisis involving cultural variation. It is because issue management is also one of the

Public Relations Industry's scopes and structures. In addition, cultural variation is the

difference in actions and thoughts across cultures (Saxena, 2020). So, a crisis, which involves

cultural variation, can be solved by using mass media to exchange ideas and share knowledge

about the cultural variation with the audience. However, using a cultural variation to solve a

crisis should be a reason instead of an excuse. One of the essential things that Public Relations

should do is tell the truth since the public will find out soon (Maggie, 2020). Telling a lie will be

harmful to the company’s reputation, and the customer’s loyalty to the company may also

reduce once they do not trust the company. Therefore, in 1994, Heineken recalled and

discontinued promoting the beer bottles with flags of countries that participated World Cup. It

was because the beer bottles included the flag of Saudi Arabia; it is a country that forbids

alcohol because of the religion Islam (Wittwer, 2021). Heineken stopped selling the bottles

once they realized the cultural difference and the mistake made instead of selling or telling a

lie. To inform the public about the correction, they changed their marking campaign and

created a new design. By learning culture and the use of mass media, crises can be solved by

using mass media.

The second value of learning mass communication is to know the media theory on mass

communication. A theory is critical because it tests the ideas and concepts created and sees

how they work in practice. In addition, it also enables public relations to make the best decision

since theories are developed by new ideas and concepts created from existing images

(IndiaFreeNotes, 2020). As a student taking Public Relations, theories can predict how events

and actions are related. It can also be used to solve crises since the theories are tested
regularly. For example, Starbucks used Bargaining Games Theory to solve a crisis that

happened in 2018. Bargaining Games Theory occurs when the player negotiates to achieve

the best possible outcome for all concerned. So, Starbucks’s CEO apologized personally to

the victim who faced racism in Starbucks. The CEO also promised to pay the victim’s university

fees (Czarnecki, 2018). Since Uses and Gratification Theory states that people use media for

acquiring information, Starbucks also released an apology post on Twitter. It informed the

audience that Starbucks’s workers would be taking Racial Bias Education on 29 th May 2018

(Starbucks Stories & News, 2018). By learning theory, crises can be better solved based on

theory and experience.

As a student also taking Event management, the last value of learning mass

communication is using social media to promote the event. Social media uses technology and

social interaction to create or co-create value. Among the five Cs of “Social” in social media,

Creation will be beneficial in promoting events since Creations mentions the ability to share

content cheaply and easily to the target audience. The target audience’s feedback or rating

can be known by using social media while interacting with them. Therefore, using social media

allows us to understand where to improve. The result of the event can also show if the social

media used to promote is effective. So, the correct types of social media to promote events

will be known while learning mass communication. Buffer (2016) said that posting pictures of

behind the scenes, early-bird deadlines, or registration and creatively revealing special guests

can be ways to attract and engage with the target audience.

Comparison between two latest technological advancements (Newspaper)

The earliest newspapers started in Caesar’s time. The information was carved on a

tablet and shared by hanging on a wall after the Senate’s meeting. As the newspaper became

more famous, the first penny paper, Benjamin Day’s New York Sun, started publishing in 1833.

This is also the rise of the modern newspaper. Today, one of the latest technological

advancements for newspapers is online newspapers. An online newspaper is the online

version of a newspaper. Since the 1970s, people have been reading the news online. In May

1992, the Chicago Tribune debuted its first newspaper service on America Online. The modern

online newspaper model, including CNN as a worldwide news engine, did not emerge until

1995. One of the only published online newspapers was the (PLATO) News Report in 1974 on

the PLATO System at the University of Illinois (Sunil, 2021). Moreover, another latest

technological advancement for newspapers is digital newspapers as e-paper. E-paper, often

known as electronic paper, is a type of technology that simulates the look of ink on paper.

Electronic paper displays differ from LCD panels in that they reflect light instead of emitting it

(Bucher & Buffel, 2004). Yet, the emitting light may affect the readers while reading it. By using

E-paper for newspapers, the entry page can be both informative and logical at the same time.

As a result, the content can also be appealing and detailed enough to allow consumers to

develop their plans, unlike online newspapers. Publishers like The Stars are now using e-paper.

The Star has a plan of RM44.08 per month for print and e-paper (StarNewsStand, 2021).

Online Newspaper has the benefit of reading back issues with a mouse click. Online

Newspapers may be suitable for younger people or people who do not have sight issues, while

E-paper is ideal for older people or people with sight issues since it can protect people’s sight.

Comparison between two latest technological advancements (Magazine)

The magazine was one of the British elite’s favorite mediums as it included many British

materials. However, it prospered after the Civil War years. An online magazine is one of the

latest technological advancements for magazines. An online magazine is a digital magazine

that uses a bulletin board system to post on a website. A print magazine can also be

transformed into an online magazine through Datamation (RYTEWIKI, 2021). Salon, the first

online-only publication, debuted in 1995. The site quickly grew to 5.8 million monthly users.

This record showed that online magazine was taking an important role on social media

(Swallowprint, 2020). Besides online magazines, Magazine Reader App is also the latest

technological advancements. The best digital magazine reader apps allow the readers to read

the digital magazine on an app. It also has an intuitive interface with clearly labeled options for
shopping, reading, and accessing the readers' settings. The app also favors readers that offer

cloud storage with cross-device syncing. Amazon Kindle provides a vast selection of

magazines in various categories such as News & Political Commentary, Lifestyle & Culture,

Pets & Animals, History & Nature, Cooking, and Women's Interests (Humphries, 2021). Even

though the online magazine app includes online magazines, an online magazine that can be

seen on a website has the limitation of cloud storage with cross-device syncing, unlike the

online magazine app.

Comparison between two latest technological advancements (Radio)

Before 1896, the year that telegraph code could be sent more than two miles, the father

of radio, Marconi, successfully sent signals through the air. In 1903, wireless voice

transmissions happened. Today, Internet radio is one of the latest technological advancements

for radio. It is a form of audio service that broadcasts through the Internet rather than over the

airwaves. It is also a sort of streaming media in which content is supplied live rather than pre-

recorded, similar to how specific podcasts are presented. It is also known as webcasting today

(Techopedia, 2016). Then in February 1995, Radio HK (USA) became the first full-time

internet-only radio station, airing music by independent bands (Guinness World Records,

2021). In addition, FM radio on smartphones is also one of the latest technological

advancements for radio. Wireless carriers and phone manufacturers have warmed up to the

notion of FM radio access in the previous two years. The advantages to public safety and the

fact that broadcast radio does not influence people's data users are most likely the

explanations. Major US carriers can now turn on FM chips. Samsung, LG, HTC, and Motorola

have all enabled FM radio on their smartphones (Reardon, 2017). In conclusion, internet radio

can be used on any electronic device, but FM radio on smartphones is limited.

Comparison between two latest technological advancements (Television)

The first workable device which could generate electrical signals and transmit the scene

was invented by Paul Nipkow in 1884. Then, John Logie Baird also successfully sent a
television picture overseas in 1928. Nowadays, online streaming service is being used on

television. It is one of the latest technological advancements for tv. It is an online provider of

entertainment like movies and dramas that sends content to a subscriber's television through

the Internet (PCMAG, 2021). Netflix, which was was founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and

Marc Randolph, is an example. It creates original programming and launches content from

other producers (William, 2021). Another joint and latest technological advancement for

television is satellite tv that was invented in 1962. Satellite tv is a type of broadcasting that

uses space satellites to send messages to viewers. Customers get signals from companies

using satellites that have been launched from Earth's atmosphere (Techopedia, 2021). Astro

is an example of Malaysian’s satellite tv. 76% of Malaysian households subscribed to Astro. It

does not only operates in Malaysia. It also works in Brunei (Linkedin, 2021). Everything has its

advantages and disadvantages. Satellite tv does not require internet, yet the channels and

contents are also limited, unlike online streaming services.

Upcoming technological advancements

Firstly, LiFi uses light to convey data. Data is transmitted by turning on and off LED

lights quicker than humans can perceive. A photoreceptor then decodes and converts the data

to a more conventional radiofrequency. This method has many benefits. Because light is used,

data may be transmitted at speeds up to 100 Gbit/s, five times faster than 5G. As seen by the

sheer quantity of LED bulbs already in our surroundings, (cheap) data access points will

become ubiquitous. Finally, LiFi light waves do not cross barriers (but can be reflected off of

them). Since there is less possibility of hacking than with WiFi, this severely limits indoor use

possibilities. However, LiFi requires a functional light source. Due to its limited range may

interfere with other light sources, such as sunlight (Sherman, 2013).

Secondly, Google is quietly working on using helium balloons to beam the internet to

difficult areas. At the same time, Facebook abandoned plans to use drones, allowing firms like
Hiber to steal a march. A network of shoebox-sized microsatellites in low Earth orbit wakes up

a modem connected to your computer or gadget as it passes by and transmits your data. Some

of their satellites are already being used by organizations like the British Antarctic Survey to

provide internet connectivity in remote areas of the world (BBC, 2021).

Thirdly, AR, or Augmented Reality, has a lot of potentials. It's been around for a while

in the form of various apps that can overlay information around you. It differs from virtual reality

in that it overlays information rather than immerses you in it. In the workplace, companies are

experimenting with augmented reality and virtual reality equipment. They can be used for

various purposes, such as visual representations of blueprints, virtual scale models of items in

development, and even basic things like virtual team meetings (Langridge, 2021).

Lastly, foldable phones and screens are improving right now, but the future may well be

screenless. There are many touch-capable projector-like gadgets on the market that can

project functional screens onto your skin, clothing, or other surfaces. Smartphone technology

in the future may not even require a device in your pocket but rather something you wear or

have implanted (Langridge, 2021).

Impacts of technological advancements

Once the Internet for Everyone and Lifi are invented, social media, one mass media,

will be impacted since people can use social media to communicate efficiently. Social media

has 5Cs. One of the Cs, Conversation, states that social media allows people to communicate

efficiently. Using the Internet for Everyone and Lifi, poor connections or countries that are not

advanced will not be a challenge of social media since everyone has internet. If people can

communicate quickly, people will also have more choices in their life. The choice is also one

of the Cs that social media has. As people communicate efficiently, they can quickly contact

the people who provide the content. People can also ask questions instantly since everyone

has the internet, even though they may still face time differences. Besides that, if people are
not free to answer, a chatbot that requires the internet can also be used. A chatbot is computer

software that replicates human communication using voice instructions or text dialogues or

both. It uses artificial intelligence to solve questions frequently asked by consumers or the

audience (Frankenfield, 2020).

The Wearable screen may make another impact. As technology improves, traditional

mass media like television, phones, and radio faces challenges from modern mass media. In

the future, the wearable screen may replace tv and radio since people can easily carry them.

After smartphones and tablets were invented, traditional TV viewing has decreased by more

than a quarter among 16 to 24 years old and children since 2010, and by 19 percent among

25 to 34-year-olds. Worryingly for conventional broadcasters, viewers aged 35 to 44 have

dropped the amount of time they spend viewing traditional television by 17% in the last five

years (Elder, 2016). People are looking for convenience. If light and quickly brought devices,

people would start abandoning things that could be replaced.

Reference list

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Issues? If Not, Get One of These Magazine Reader Apps – Review Geek.
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2. Premium Quality Printing Service | Swallowtail Print, Norwich. (n.d.). Premium Quality Printing Service |
Swallowtail Print, Norwich. https://www.swallowtailprint.co.uk.
3. EMagazine - Ryte Wiki - The Digital Marketing Wiki. (n.d.). eMagazine - Ryte Wiki - The Digital
Marketing Wiki. https://en.ryte.com/wiki/eMagazine.
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https://newsstand.thestar.com.my.
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6. Buffer (2016, August 18). Event Marketing On Social Media: How To Make Your Event Stand Out. Buffer
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7. Starbucks Stories & News (2018). Starbucks. Starbucks. https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2018/starbucks-
to-close-stores-nationwide-for-racial-bias-education-may-29/.
8. Czarnecki (2018). Timeline Of a Crisis: Starbucks' Racial Bias Training | PR Week. Timeline of a crisis:
Starbucks' racial bias training | PR Week. https://www.prweek.com/article/1486260/timeline-crisis-
starbucks-racial-bias-training.
 9. IndiaFreeNotes (2020, November 16). Theories Used In Public Relations Systems Theory, Situational
Theory, Social Exchange Theory, Diffusion Theory – Indiafreenotes. indiafreenotes.
https://indiafreenotes.com/theories-used-in-public-relations-systems-theory-situational-theory-social-
exchange-theory-diffusion-theory/.
10. Wittwer, J. (2021, February 5). Saudi Arabia – Success Across Cultures. Success Across Cultures.
https://successacrosscultures.com/tag/saudi-arabia/.
11. M. (2020, April 1). PR: Why It's Better To Tell the Truth Than To Twist It - Nichols PR. Nichols PR.
https://nicholspublicrelations.com/public-relations/pr-why-better-tell-the-truth-than-twist-it/.
12. Saxena, M. (2020, January 28). Cultural Variation. Cultural Variation | SpringerLink.
https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007%2F978-3-319-16999-6_823-1#howtocite.