MAC 113 - HISTORY OF NIGERIAN MASS MEDIA

Concisely, the term mass media simply translates to the modern means of giving news, opinion, education, entertainment and agenda-setting to large numbers of people, especially through radio, television, newspapers, magazines and films. According to Joseph Dominick (2009:36), a medium is the channel through which a message travels from the source to the receiver (medium” as singular, media” is plural). When we talk about mass communication, we also need channels to carry the message. Therefore, mass media are the channels used for mass communication. The definition of mass media will not only include the mechanical devices that transmit and sometimes store the message (television cameras, radio microphones, printing presses) but also the institutions that use these machines to transmit messages. “A Media Vehicle is a single component of the mass media, such as a newspaper, radio station, television network, or magazine.

3.2 Types of Mass Media There are basically eight different mass media: radio, television, film, books, sound recordings, newspapers, magazines and the internet. Of course, these eight are not the only mass media that exist. Others are billboards, comic books, posters, direct mail, matchbooks and buttons. These eight media listed above have the largest audiences, employ the most people and have the greatest impact. People are also most familiar with these media.

3.3 Mass Communication Media For us to understand the mass communication media, it is important to look at the meaning of mass communication. It has been viewed as a process in which “professional” communicators use media to disseminate messages widely and rapidly in large and diverse audiences in attempt to influence them in a variety of ways. There is need to define which forms of communication should be considered as vehicles of mass media. Components of Mass Communication From the definition, talking on the phone is not a form of mass communication because the audience is not large and diverse; usually there is only one person at each end of the line. Similarly, any situation in which life performers and audience can see each other directly in a theater or church, at sports events or parade- is not example of a mediated communication. The major mass communication media or agencies of mass communication therefore are print which comprise books, magazines, newspapers, fliers, newsletters, diaries, calendars, brochures, billboards, and posters among other. It also includes broadcast media (radio and television).