Mass Media

Primary means by which information and entertainment are delivered to the public in virtually every nation around the world are radio, television and newspapers.

Broadcasting (radio and television) is a crucial instrument of modern social and political organization. National leaders often used radio and television broadcasting to address entire countries. Because of its capacity to reach large numbers of people, broadcasting has been regulated since it was recognized as a significant means of communication.

Broadcasting dramatically changed life of people wherever it was introduced. Radio brought news and information from around the world into homes. The experiences of professionally crafted drama and music, historically a privilege of the elite, became services expected by the general public. The parallel growth of network radio, sound cinema and television created an unprecedented mass culture for people of a wide range of social classes and educational backgrounds.

From the early 1920s through the early 1980s, broadcasting was the only effective means of delivering television and radio programming to the general public. Functions once exclusive to broadcasting are now shared in industrially advanced societies by two other means of mass communication: 1) closed-circuit delivery systems, such as commercial cable television, pay-per-view, and modem-accessible databases, which transmit sounds and images to paid subscribers rather than to the general public; and 2) self-programmable systems, such as the videocassette recorder (VCR), the video game, and the CD-ROM, which allow the user more control over content and scheduling. New broadcast delivery systems continue to be developed. One of them, Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS), provides the viewer with a personal antenna capable of bypassing closed-circuit systems to capture satellite signals. However, most of the channels available from satellites require subscription fees and licences. As of the mid-1990s, however, broadcasting remained the most important component of mass communications, even in countries where the newer systems are available and growing.

It is estimated that there are about 1.6 billion radios and 800 million television sets in use worldwide (1996), with more than half concentrated in North America, the European Union countries, and Japan.

Newspapers are publications usually issued on a daily or weekly basis, the main function of which is to report the news. Newspapers also provide commentary on the news, advocate various public policies, furnish special information and advice to readers, and sometimes include features such as comic strips, cartoons, and serialized books. In nearly all cases and in varying degrees, they depend on the publication of commercial advertising for their income.

Throughout the world, newspapers are a significant force for informing people and helping to mould their opinions. Despite the development of motion pictures early in the 20th century, of radiobroadcasting in the 1920s, and of television in the 1940s, newspapers remain a major source of information on matters ranging from details of important news events to human-interest items. In the U.S., for example, about 1700 daily newspapers print a total of 63 million copies, and almost every copy is read by at least two persons.

During the last two decades newspapers have made more technological advances than at any time. Newspaper publishers are now experimenting with the use of computers and television to transmit news, advertising, and other information directly into homes. Some people believe that the newspaper of the future will not be printed but will be an electronic information service instantly available in every home.

Major American radio and TV broadcast stations: ABC (American Broadcasting Company), CBS (Columbia Broadcasting System), MBS (Mutual Broadcasting System), NBC (National Broadcasting Company)

The largest American newspapers: The Wall Street Journal (a specialized publication aimed primarily at business executives, but which also carries much news of general interest); USA Today (the largest general-interest newspaper), the New York Daily News (a metropolitan tabloid).

British radio and TV broadcast stations: BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation), IBA (Independent Broadcasting Authorities)

Major British newspapers: the Times, The Guardian, Financial Times, Daily Telegraph (all are quality papers) and Daily Express, Daily Mirror, The Sun, Today (all are popular papers).

The Media	Fact	Supporting facts and figures
Broadcasting	It’s a crucial instrument of modern social and political organization.
	It dramatically changed the life of people.
	It created mass culture.
	It still remained the most important component of mass communications.
	…
Newspapers	Newspapers do not only report the news.
	Newspaper publishers use technological advances to bring the information directly into homes.
	…

C Think of some other facts and supporting information you can add to the table. Present your information to the class.

Exercise 5. Reading.

a) Do you agree with the following statements?

1. Newspapers are still a powerful force.

2. People should give any information which newspapers want to have.

3. The paparazzi have prestige with the general public.

4. A politician's private life is newsworthy.

5. There are certain things journalists shouldn't report on.

6. The news should be censored.

7. Most newspapers print what's really important.

8. Most newspapers are objective.

b) Read the following text. Define which of the after-text statements are true or false. If the statement is false, give the correct variant.