Microsoft Word Revised Syllabus Ver doc

General effects in mass media
Another question directed to the mass media scholars was to explore the general 
impacts and effects of mass communication. For which it was necessary to study some of the 
current trends in mass communications such as:
1. Community media system
2. Information diffusion
3. Media socialization
4. Political communication
5. Children and television and
6. Motives, uses, and gratifications.
1. Community media system
One strain of research has focused on the role of the mass media in communities. 
Editors, broadcasters and other communicator's act-as 'gatekeepers' deciding what 
information commonly residents will receive about various issues. Are there differences in 
the types of information conveyed by communication in small as contrasted with large 
communities. One study suggests that editors in smaller, more homogeneous communities 
tend to avoid controversial issues and concentrate on more positive, socially supportive 
information. Editors in large communities, which have organized interest groups and more 
mechanism for handling disputes, distribute more conflict information and are more likely to 
stress opinion leadership.
2. Information Diffusion
People are provided with an abundance of information by the mass media, and 
technologies in the not too distant future will accelerate this "information explosion'. On 
coping with this barrage, people must be selective. They learn things from the mass media, 
but not necessarily the same things nor the same amount, for example, those who use more of 
the print media-newspapers, magazines and books tend to be more knowledgeable than those 
who use mainly the radio and television for their information.

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3. Media Socialization
Adults do not suddenly appear with full-blown reading, viewing and listening habits. 
They acquire these habits, among others, through many years and the influence of many 
factors. One approach to understanding the development of communication behaviour is 
called socialization. On a sense they are turning around the question of effects and asking 
what leads to use of the mass media. Researchers taking this perspective have found varying 
TV viewing patterns among children from different family environments, on families in 
which a child is encouraged to explore new ideas and to express them openly, children spend 
for less time with TV and pay more attention to news and public affairs programs when they 
do watch. By contrast, in families placing greater emphasis on obedience and social harmony, 
children spend the most time with TV of any group and their interest is concentrated on 
entertainment rather than on news and public affairs programs.