Mass Communication Theory - Essay Example

Mass Communication Theory There have always been wide differences among the journalists, media professionals and media scholars about what exactly news is and what elements constitute as the parameter of something to be news. Today with uncountable media platforms having publishers, editors and producers of various mind-set and socio-politico-cultural backgrounds, the elements of that define news have become even vaguer. One of the primary reasons for this is the commercialization of media and journalism. In addition, the news in modern times is a product and a process as well in some cases. Still, there are certain set and agreed parameters that define what news is from other modes of communication. Some of the established facts that define news are accuracy and interest of the readers. News is an accurate idea about a thing, event or person that is able to attract the attention of the people, gives the details of something novel, and reveals some information or fact that is previously unknown. Another of the basic elements of news is that it ought to be objective, impartial and must give the authentic report of that contains consistent and complete information of the event and provide the related guidance to the people. These and related elements work as the criteria that play an important role right from the point of formulation of news to the final stage where it is presented (Stanley J. Baran, Dennis K. Davis, 2009). News is not just any piece of information that is publishable or presentable anywhere. In fact there are specific places and media types that hold those pieces of news and have pre-defined parameters that make news. In any news, strangeness, abnormality, unexpectedness and proximity to the news happening play are some of the elements that play a vital role in the valuation of the news and make them worthy of publication. These elements add respective interest to the story but none of these is absolutely essential. Similarly, freshness, enormity and departure from the normal also add greatly to the value of the news, but even these are not absolutely essential. The prime requirement of any news story to make it a news story is that is should be accurate and contain facts or ideas that are interesting to a considerable number of recipients. Everyday a news editor and publisher receives a number of different information pieces that fit the criteria of being new but not every news is publishable, therefore there are certain elements that a news piece must have to get the place in the paper or on airtime (Bonnie Anderson, 2004). Of the most fundamental criteria, that every news article has to meet to acquire a place in the mass media is its timeliness. Although the factor of is not always essential but hot burning news is always eagerly awaited than then the old and stale news and becomes a good news piece easily passing the selection table. Timeliness or temporality of the news or the current news is the very essence of the news media. The importance of this peculiar feature of news cannot be over-emphasized. Proximity also plays its role in making the news piece get pass the selection process because it greatly increases the importance for the audience. Sometimes novelty and uniqueness of the event also adds importance to the news that makes it qualify the news selection process. Man is always curious to know the things that he does not know before and therefore always tries not let go of an opportunity to satiate certain aspects of his curiosity. Another important element that plays an important role in the selection of the news event is the size of the event. A small training plane accident with no human casualty may be news but not as important as a crash of a 747 with over 400 passengers and huge death toll. There is no way such news will not be able to get a place in the news media. The importance of the news is also determined by the policy of the newspaper or news-channel. An economic analysis of the current national affairs done by the economic news expert of the newspaper may be important for one newspaper but might not even get a place in another news media. Consequence is also a very important factor that is considered while selecting news for the media publication. It lends value in the formation of the news converting it from ordinary to important news according to the expected outcomes of an event. Usually a policy matter, procedure or announcement of certain measure is most likely to require furthermore explanation and consequences, responsible to involve a majority of population (James W. Kershner, 2005). Prominence is another value implicit in the selection process of the news, which turns ordinary news into important news. In the range or prominence are included the widely known persons, places, things and institutions. Many wedding ceremonies take place around the world and any given instance but that is not news. However almost all the major news media companies around the world, the reason, showed the news of the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton live was prominence of the British royalty. The nature and duration of the prominence selection factor depends on the structure and the nature of an event connected to it. Conflict is an undeniable part of today’s daily life and with all kinds of conflict, accelerating the competition and race and a series of mental, moral and physical content, there is a struggle for superiority in every human field. Whether be it sports, business, education or nation building, the results of success and failure in a competition always is able to get its place in the news. The news selection process also includes the emotional element, suspense and mystery as additional parameters for the selection of news to be publishable, but with certain news publishers have their own pre-set parameters of news selection process (James W. Kershner, 2005). One of the boldest problems in the news selection process is the overabundance of subjectively defined elements. Every newspaper, news media and even media scholars have a wide range of potential aspects that thy thing should be considered while selecting the news that makes the news selection process to be one of the vaguest tasks to perform. Every list can be considered to be complete and similarly to be incomplete. Another of the major criticisms of the news selection process is the way news selectors employ the gate keeping process as part of news gathering and news publishing. It is although very important to keep guards on the information inflow and then its outflow however the effectiveness of gatekeeping is becoming questionable for reason being contaminated to fit the selection criteria. The second criticism is the news being used for propaganda then carrying neutrality and biased depending on the affiliation of the news media. This has led to the news being more commercialized than being neutral and informative (James W. Kershner, 2005). The rise of internet and social media networking has brought a drastic change in the news ethics around the world. With the growing power and influence of the mass media as one of the most powerful elements of a state, it is becoming intoxicated with power rather then becoming responsible. The media in today’s times is a port of modern every day life and therefore a part of every house. The news not only informs the people of the latest events that are happening around the world but also plays a role of opinion builder. The talk shows and the commentaries that take place after any noticeable event builds a specific state of mind of the people on a large scale. Media is more of a business venture than a service today, and with billions invested and transacted everyday it has become overly commercialized. The news that is delivered is not only to inform the people of an event but also to construct a specified state of mind of the people therefore taking out the objectivity and neutrality from the news which are its basic essence. The absence of the balance with most of the news stories that are presented nowadays showing negative elements that are happening in the society is gravely influencing the potential role of the society. Violence, politicization and glamour are more of a need of the news today rather then being parts of the news (Bill Kovach, Tom Rosenstiel, 2003). Nevertheless, with the rise of information and its availability, the people are becoming more aware of the facts and happening around them. This availability of readily available information develops a sense of responsibility and works as a public necessity rather than just a part of media communication. Facts are the most important element of news and with the freedom of availability of facts imbibes a sense of responsibility and commitment in the society. The recent events in northern Africa and what is happening in the middle east are recent examples of the public responsiveness of media and news. the news today not only dominates colour, character, ideals and institutions, it dominates and leads the society towards effectiveness, productivity and nation building. Works Cited Bonnie Anderson. News flash: journalism, infotainment, and the bottom-line business of broadcast news. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2004 Stanley J. Baran, Dennis K. Davis. Mass Communication Theory: foundations, ferment, and future. Boston, MA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2009 James W. Kershner. The elements of news writing. Boston: Pearson Allyn and Bacon, 2005. Bill Kovach, Tom Rosenstiel. The elements of journalism. London: Atlantic Books: Guardian, 2003. Read More