CAPE®

MASS MEDIA
LESSON 11

Directed by
REMONE L. FOSTER
 OBJECTIVES
At the end of this lesson, students understand:

• The concept of mass media

• The types of mass media
• The development of mass media in the Caribbean
• The functions of mass media
• The negative impacts of mass media
• Mass media and regional identity/unity
• The concept of “freedom of press”
• Freedom of press and political interventions.
 MASS MEDIA
What is the mass media?

• Mass media refers to technology that is intended to reach a mass or large

audience.

• It encompasses print media, digital media (in the form of images), electronic
media and social media.

• Mediums of the mass media include books, newspapers, magazines, radio,

television and the internet (search engines and social media platforms).

Development of the Mass Media in the Caribbean

1. The earliest form of mass media was in the form of newspaper in the
Caribbean. In the 1800s, newspapers represented the interest of the white
planters (plantocracy). Blacks were not allowed to read. However, by the
1820s some anti-slavery newspaper emerged.

2. In the post-emancipation period, Caribbean people were now freed and

were able to consume whatever information they so desired. This led to the
emergence of several newspaper geared towards a black audience.
3. In Jamaica, the Gleaner was launched in 1834 and is the most continuous
published newspaper in the Caribbean. In St. Lucia, the Voice appeared in
1885. In Barbados, the Advocate was launched in the 1890s. In Dominica,
the Chronicle started in 1909. In Trinidad, the Guardian was launched in
1917.

4. The nature of the mass media started to change in the 1900s due to the
socio-economic changes in the Caribbean and their impact on Caribbean
people. Black people felt oppressed in colonial society and this was
aggravated by the decline of the sugar industry, the labour crises of the
1930s caused by the Great Depression and the increased desire to break
ties with Britain.

5. The printed media led to the rise of trade unions that demanded greater
rights for workers, especially sugar workers.

6. Intellectual thinkers also used printed media to spread

ideologies such as Garveyism, Ras Tafari and Pan-
Africanism. Marcus Garvey, for example, launched
three publications in Jamaica that encouraged
journalism – the Blackman’s a weekly newspaper in
1929, “The New Jamaican” a daily newspaper in 1932
and the “The Black Man”, a magazine in 1935.

7. These publications exerted significant influence on the Rastafari, Nation of

Islam and Black Power Movement in the Caribbean and all over the world.
 8. The campaign for independence against Britain gain fervour by the 1930s
with the circulation of various printed and written media. There was a
growing black nationalist movement that campaigned for increased
political representation and rights.

9. In the post-independence era, steps were taken to ensure freedom of the

press in the Caribbean and to guarantee that people had access to the mass
media and were free to speak, criticize and express their opinion.

10. The mass media is effective because Caribbean constitution have enshrined
certain freedoms such as freedom of speech and expression. Furthermore,
certain legislations have been enacted to promote access to information –
for example, Access to Information Act in Jamaica.

Functions of the mass media

The mass media has the following functions:

(a) Information – It provides information for the general public, whether

serious or trivial, such as the news, weather, disaster warnings,
advertisement, documentaries, public service announcements and so on. The
mass media can also bring attention to various social issues affecting people
such as HIV/AIDS, Child abuse, crime and violence, and domestic violence.
Such information might not have been able to reach a mass audience without
the help of the media.

(b) Education – The mass media is a significant tool for socialization. It can
promote or eliminate certain pattens of cultures and behaviours over time. It
also socializes new members of society. Education can take several forms
such as promoting certain programmes, campaigns, advertisements and so
on.
(c) Entertainment – This comes in the form of films, documentaries, songs,
comics, novels and so on.

(d) Influence – The mass media can be used to shape people’s attitudes, values
and behaviours. It can also be a medium of positive social change. Consider,
for example, the impact of the mass media on movements that led to the
emancipation of slaves in the Caribbean, or the rise of black consciousness
in the 1930s in the Caribbean. People have been able to use the mass media
to spread ideologies such as Pan-Africanism, Anti-colonialism, Negritude
and Ras-Tafari.

(e) Identity – It creates a single or common identity among people. People who
consume the same media are more likely to act, think and behave a like. This
leads to a “oneness” in their identity in which they collective adopt certain
behaviours, attitudes and similarities. In the Caribbean, the mass media is
used to promote cultural programmes that enhance a regional identity.

(f) Political – The mass media acts a bridge between people, government and
political parties. The government uses the media to announces it policies,
decisions and intentions. It is therefore an important element of a functioning
democracy. It is also used to voice the concerns of people. It reflects their
voice. As such, the media is considered the “watchdog of democracy”
because it is tasked with ensuring that the government is kept in check, fulfil
its promises and protect the rights of ordinary citizens.

Negative impacts of the Mass Media

▪ There is more focus on the entertaining function of the mass media than
its function to communicate information.
▪ Increases consumerism among people through the promotion of certain
goods and services.
▪ It promotes violence or normalizes deviance. This is particularly the case
for children through video games and television.
▪ It can deliberately promote negative information about a certain person,
group or community.
▪ It can rapidly erode traditional cultures and values by introducing foreign
cultures to a wide audience at a single time.
▪ It can transform social roles among people such as the roles of men,
women and children in the family.
The mass media and a regional identity in the Caribbean

There are several organizations in the Caribbean that promote regional identity
using the mass media such as:

- Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU)

- Caribbean News Agency (CANA)
- Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC)

These regional organizations have been able to broadcast information to a

Caribbean audience and have facilitated the biding of Caribbean people. It has
also shaped a regional identity by focusing on Caribbean people, issues,
development and cultures. They also promote Caribbean integration by working
alongside the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Association of
Caribbean States (ACS). They also facilitate globalization by bring Caribbean
news and development to the Caribbean diaspora.

Freedom of the Press

Freedom of the press, sometimes called “freedom of the media” is the principle
that communication and expression through various media, whether printed,
digital or electronic, should be a right to be exercised freely.

In the Caribbean, freedom of the press is not specifically stated in Caribbean

constitutions, however, the constitutions have enshrined freedom of speech and
freedom of expression. The effect of this is that the freedom of the press is not a
guarantee right in the region and it can be set aside or misused through legislations
and actions by the government (particularly in times of states of emergency).

Freedom of the press is also hindered by laws such as libel and sedition which
can be used to restrict newspaper operations.
Other threats to Freedom of Press

- Requirement for licenses from government agencies to operate media

houses (radio and television) or to make publications.
- Censorship – the operation of censorship boards
- Government influence/ manipulation
- Corruption – the influence of people with power.

Political intervention and the mass media

In many instances, political interventions may impede the functions of the press.
In order for the mass media to contribute positively to the development of people,
it ought to operate without political intervention. By this, without the influence
of government agencies, political personnel or political parties.

There are some who, argue, however, that the involvement of the government in
the operation of the mass media is important because it:

(a) encourages programmes that promote local cultures;

(b) promotes positive news that encourages positive behaviours;
(c) promotes programmes that are generally educational instead of solely
entertaining;
(d) promotes patriotism and nation building;
(e) gives a sufficient coverage to the socio-economic policies being
implemented by the government.

However, several arguments can be advanced against political interventions in

the operation of the mass media such as:

(i) The selective publication or broadcasting of material or programmes that

paints the government or a political entity only in a positive light while
ignoring or downplaying their deficiencies or inefficiencies.
(ii) The victimization of employees of the mass media who refuse to tow the
line of the government – a sign of dictatorship.
(iii) Government agencies have a history of bureaucracy, inefficiency, and
unprofitability.
(iv) Censorship might be rapidly promoted which circumvent the need to
give the people of a society a balanced perspective of social and political
issues.
 (v) The issue of power will have to be considered, because it would mean
that it is those people with power and influence that can dictate what is
to be published or broadcasted to the public.

CAPE QUESTIONS AND ANSWER PLANS

CAPE 2013
Describe how political inference has affected the mass media’s ability to
contribute positively to the development of the Caribbean people.
(20 marks)

- Define the mass media

- Explain how the mass media can contribute positively to the
development of the Caribbean people
- Give reasons why political inference can positively help the mass
media – promoting programmes on Caribbean identity and cultures,
influencing nationalism, highlighting programmes that showcase
socio-economic policies.
- Consider whether political intervention undermines the function of
the mass media to be the watchdog of democracy, to protect the rights
of citizens and to correctly depict the happenings of society.
- Consider the fact that political intervention can lead to increased
censorship, victimization of media personnel, and can be used to
manipulate Caribbean people by downplaying the shortcomings and
inefficiencies of political parties, political personnel and the
government.
CAPE 2006
"The mass media are responsible for the erosion of traditions in the Caribbean."
Discuss.
(20 marks)

- What is the mass media?

- Consider the function of the mass media in the maintenance of
cultural values and norms in the Caribbean.
- How does the mass media erode cultural traditions in the Caribbean
– cultural imperialism, broadcasting foreign films and ideologies,
limited Caribbean programmes, censorship of Caribbean people,
limited broadcasting of Caribbean films etc.
- Consider the counterargument that the mass media in the Caribbean
has been able to keep some cultures alive by socializing new members
of society (e.g., traditional dances, basket weaving, donkey riding
etc), launching educational programmes on Caribbean cultures, and
rapidly bringing attention to Caribbean cultures that are
transforming.