Mass Communication and its Characteristics or Features

Mass communication is a process in which a person, group of people, or an organization sends a message through a channel of communication to a large group of anonymous and heterogeneous people and organizations. You can think of a large group of anonymous and heterogeneous people as either the general public or a segment of the general public. Channels of communication include broadcast television, radio, social media, and print. 

The sender of the message is usually a professional communicator that often represents an organization. Mass communication is an expensive process. Unlike interpersonal communication, feedback for mass communication is usually slow and indirect.

Characteristics or Features of Mass Communication

Mass Communication has all the features of general communication. In addition, it offers some unique characteristics because of its specialty in nature. The characteristics of mass communication are discussed below:

 Large Number of Audience: The foremost feature of mass communication is that it has large number of audience. No other communication gets as many receivers as it gets.

Use of Channel: Mass Communication system uses various types of mass media channels such as-radio, television, newspapers, magazines etc.

No Direct Feedback: Mass Communication does not produce any direct feedback. The reaction of audience cannot be known quickly here.

Use of Technology: Mass Communication system uses modern technology in the process of production and dissemination of the message to be sent.

Wide Area: The area of Mass Communication is wider than any other communication systems. In case of mass communication system, the message is structured, formal and standardized and that’s why it has acceptance all over the world.

Happy Learning!

Anamika Gupta

IAAN