MASS COMMUNICATION AND METHODS OF MASS COMMUNICATION’S

Importance:
Mass media enable extension workers to greatly increase their teaching efficiency. Publications, news papers articles, circular letters, radio, television, exhibits, posters etc., provide helpful repetition for those contacted personally or through groups. They also facilitate dissemination of information to a much larger & different clientele. Even though the intensity of the teaching contact, through mass media is less, the large number of people reached and the low cost per unit of coverage more than off-set the lack of intensity. The extension teaching plan which neglects the communication possibility through mass media fails to fully capitalize on what has already been invested in the more intensive contact methods.

Definitions of Communication

Leagans says, “It is a process by which two or more people exchange ideas, facts, feelings or impressions in a way that each gains a common understanding of message. In essence it is the act of getting a sender and a receiver tuned together for a particular message or series of messages.”

Communication is the imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions or information by speech, writing or science. (American College Dictionary)

According to Rogers & Shoemaker (1970) Communication is the process by which messages are transferred from a source to receiver.

Van de Ban & Hawkins (1988) defined Communication as the process of sending & receiving messages through channels which establishes common meanings between a source and a receiver.

Communication is the process by which the message is transmitted from the source to the receiver (Rogers, 1983)

Communication is a mutual interchange of ideas by any effective means (Thayer 1968)

Communication is anything that conveys meaning that carries a message from one person to another (Brooker 1949)

Communication Methods
A method is a procedure or process for attaining an objective. The choice of channels or method of communication, also known as extension teaching method, generally depends on the number and location of the target audience, and the time available for communication.

Selection of effective combination of extension method

A combination of extension teaching methods or that of mass media and inter personal sources is perhaps the most effective way of reaching people with new ideas and persuading them to utilize these innovations.

The basic idea behind this is:

 The more the senses of the learner are involved in the learning process, the greater the learning.

 To ensure action on the part of learner, several exposures may be necessary in order to motivate, remind and persuade them.

 It will depend on the situation as well as knowledge and experience of the extension agent.

Basically Communication Methods Are Classified As:-
1. Interpersonal Communication
2. Mass media Communication

Interpersonal Communication
It consists of a face to face exchange between two or more individuals. The message flow is from one to a few individuals. Feed back is immediate and usually plentiful, and the messages are often relatively high in socio-emotional content

Mass media Communication
It involves some type of hardware equipment that enables a source of one or a few individuals to reach a large audience. Feedback is limited and delayed and the messages are often relatively low in socio-emotional content.

[A]. Interpersonal Methods

In this method, the extension agent communicates with the people individually, maintaining separate identity of each person. This method is followed when the number of people to be contacted are few, are conveniently located close to the communicator and sufficient time is available for communication. eg. Farm & Home visit, Farmers call etc

Advantages
1. Helps in selecting demonstrators & local leaders
2. Helps in changing attitudes of people
3. Helps in teaching complex practices.
4. Facilitates transfer of technology
5. Getting feedback information

Limitations
1. This method is time consuming & relatively expensive
2. Has low coverage of audience
3. Extension agent may develop favoritism or bias towards some persons

[B]. Group Methods

It may be defined as an aggregate of small number of people in reciprocal communication and interaction around some common interest. In this method extension agent communicates with the people in groups and not as individual persons. eg. Result demonstration, Method demonstration, group meeting etc.

Objectives
1. It helps for selection of village leaders.
2. It gives the idea for the need of people.
3. Less expensive than individual method due to more coverage
4. More effective than mass method in stimulating action.

Limitations
1. Wide diversity of interest of people may create a difficulty to learning situation
2. Every body wants for their individual development.

[C].Mass Methods

In this method, extension agent communicates with vast & heterogeneous mass of peoples, without taking into consideration their individual identity. This method is followed where a large & widely dispersed audience is to be communicated within a short period of time. The size of audience may be a few hundred in mass meeting, few thousands in campaign & exhibition and millions in newspaper, radio & TV.

Advantage:
1. Suitable for creating general awareness amongst the people.
2. Helps in transferring knowledge, forming & changing opinion.
3. Large number of people can be communicated within short time

Limitations:-
1. Less intensive method.
2. Cannot be held frequently
3. Little scope for personal contact with the audience.
4. Little control over the responses of audience.
5. Difficult in getting feedback information & evaluation of results

Means of Mass Communication:
Newspaper:

Newspaper is a bunch of loose printed papers properly folded, which contains news, views, advertisements etc and is offered for sale at regular intervals, particularly daily or weekly. Newspapers are usually printed on a special type of paper known as newsprint.
Daily newspapers are resource strong and are published from national/ state capitals or big cities. Their approach is cosmopolite and the circulation may range from about a lack to several lakhs. Some of the daily newspaper are quite big and are published simultaneously from several cities.

Selection of matter for writing in news paper
Prepare a draft write up on the topic in simple language, furnishing current and important information. The lead i.e. the opening sentence or paragraph is important and should be comprehensive. Give a suitable caption
1. The draft should contain information on what, who, when, where and why.
2. Revise the draft and produce a brief, lucid, interesting and informative write up.
3. In required, enclose photographs on glossy paper with the write up.

Advantages:
1- Large circulation.
2- Cheaper than any other mass communication device.

Limitations:
1. Only literate people generally can take advantage of this medium.
2. Increase in the price of newspapers may restrict their circulation.

Television

Television is an electronic audio-visual medium which provides pictures with synchronized sound. This medium is cosmopolite in approach and can be used to create instant mass awareness. Television combines the immediacy of radio with the mobility of Cinema and can carry messages over long distance at a relatively low unit cost.
 Television is multi media equipment as it can include motion picture, recording, slide, photograph, drawing, poster etc. Television can show recorded as well as live programmes.
 Both recording and playback equipments are transportable, allowing flexibility of use

Purpose:
1. People learn through the eye, & will remember things better if they see them.
2. The message on the tv screen are presented in the simplest manner possible.

Advantages
1. To create a general awareness amongst the people about agricultural and rural development.
2. To provide need based programmes to the rural audience.
3. To show the rural people in general & the farmer in particular what to do,how to do,& when to do.

Limitations
1. Requires lots of planning, preparation, trained personal and availability of equipments.
2. Audience participation depends on costly receiving sets and availability of electricity.
3. TV is an electronic audio visual medium,which provides pictures with synchronize sound.
4. Seldom goes beyond creating general awareness of audience

Video Films:

Video films are really a series of still pictures on a long strip of film. Each picture is flashed momentarily on the screen and the rapid succession of still pictures-(each of which shows the subject in a slightly different position) – gives an illusion of movements. Usually 70 mm and 35 mm. films are used for commercial entertainment, 16 mm. Film for educational movies, and 8 mm. Film for domestic pictures.

Advantages:
1. A complete process involving motion can be shown in a short time.
2. People identify themselves with those in the films.
3. Compel attention.
4. Heighten reality.
5. Speed or slow down time.
6. Bring the distant past and the distant present into learning situation.
7. Enlarge or reduce actual size of objects.

Limitations:
1. Special equipment is necessary.
2. The equipment is costly.
3. Some sort of power is required to operate the projectors.
4. Transportation maintenance & storage of equipment & materials require special consideration & skill.
5. Suitable halls for showing motion picture are not available in many places.
6. Bring the distant past and the distant present into learning situation.
7. Enlarge or reduce actual size of objects.

Purpose:
1. To present facts in an interesting way.
2. To attract audience.
3. To arouse interest.
4. To change attitudes.
5. To bring new practices to village In a short time.
6. To reach illiterate as well as literate people.

Points to remember:
1. Be thoroughly familiar with the subject you plan to teach and how exactly the film supports the ideas you want to get across.
2. Preview the film
3. before showing the film, explain the subject, tell why it is important and stimulate viewers to look for certain thing in the film.
4. At the end of the show, have a forum
5. Follow up (capitalise the enthusiasm generated)
Mass Meeting:

Mass meeting is held to communicate interesting and useful information to a large audience at a time. The size of the audience for mass meeting may be a few hundreds, but at the time of fairs or festivals it may be few thousands

Objectives
1. To focus attention of the people on some important topic.
2. To enlist people’s participation in community work.
3. To appear personally before a large audience

Advantage
1. Reaches many who read little or none at all.
2. A means of informing non farm people (tax payers) about agricultural matters.
3. Reaches people who are unable to attend extension meetings.
4. Builds interest in other extension media.

Limitations
1. In-depth discussion of the topic not possible.
2. Can’t be held frequently.
3. Difficult to get feed back information.
Radio:
Radio is an electronic audio-medium for broadcasting programmes to the audience. This medium is cosmopolite in approach and is suitable for communication to millions of people widely dispersed and situated in remote areas. Radio is suitable for creating general awareness amongst the people, help change their attitude and reinforces learning. It reaches a large number of people at a very low cost.

Purpose:
1. To reach large numbers of people quickly & inexpensively.
2. To reach people not reach by other means.
3. To stimulate participation in extension through all other media.
4. To build enthusiasm & maintain interest.

Advantages:
1. Can reach more quickly than any other means of communication.
2. Specially suited to give emergency & timely information(e.g. weather,pest-out-break etc.)‏
3. Relatively cheap.
4. Reaches many who read little or none at all.
5. Reaches people who are unable to attend extension meetings.
6. A means of informing non farm people( tax payers) about agricultural matters.
7. Builds interest in other extension media.
8. Possible to do other things while listening.

Limitations:
1. Limited number of broadcasting stations.
2. Not within reach of all farmers.
3. Recommendations may not apply to individual needs.
4. No turning back if not needed.
5. Frequently loses out in competition with entertainment.
6. Difficult to check on results.

PROJECTORS:

The lantern slides is one of the most popular & versatile visual in extension education. It is a transparent picture on glass or film) which is projected by focusing light through it from electric bulb, petromax or lantern.
Reasons for the popularity of lantern slides are:
1. They can be made by the individual worker at low cost.
2. They can be made either in natural colour in black and white.
3. Both the slides and projections equipment are relatively light and can be easily transported.
4. Slide sequence can be readily changed to keep them timely and localized.
5. We can use the full set of slides or select only a few slides required for our subject.
6. Each slide can be retained for any length of time according to the teaching situation.

Limitations:
1. They do not show action.
2. They normally require live narration, unless synchronized with tape recorder.
3. They require close co-operation within a projections throughout the presentation if the speaker desires to be in front of his audience.