CA 200 – ART COMMUNICATION AND SOCIAL MOBILIZATION

Lecture 6 Summary – Mass Communication

Mass Communication
Mass communication is Communication that is mediated via a transmission system between a
source and a large number of unseen receivers. It is a process in which professional
communicators use technological devices to share messages over great distances to influence
large audiences. The main value of mass media comes from the fact that it can quickly reach
large numbers of people.

The Audience
• The audience is not present
• The audience has the ability to turn it off
• The audience is anonymous (unnamed, unknown)
• The audience is heterogeneous
(“hetero” means DIFFERENT
“homo” means THE SAME)

How are messages sent?

Through different Types of Mass media (media is plural of medium).
EG:
• Newspapers
• Pamphlets and posters
• Billboards
• Magazines
• Films
• Radio
• Television
• Internet

Functions of Mass Communication

• Inform
• Educate
• Entertain
• Persuade

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 1. Inform
News and discussions may inform:
E.g.
“A new President is elected”

“Outbreak of a new disease”

“Tanzania has qualified for The World Cup”

“25 killed in a building collapse in Kariakoo”

2. Educate
Radio and television programs, newspaper and magazine articles may educate:
E.g.
• A doctor speaks on radio or television or writes a newspaper column about how to
prevent a disease.
• Experts tell farmers on radio or television about a new crop, seed, or agricultural
practice.

3. Entertain
Films and television serials and programs may entertain:
All the commercial cinema, television serials, and music programs are entertaining.

4. Persuade
To make someone do something, or believe something.

Persuasion depends on:

• Source credibility
• Presentation of the message
• The media factor

Media effect
Media effect refers to the influence that media—such as television, radio, newspapers, the
internet, or social media—has on individuals, society, and culture. It encompasses the ways in
which media content can shape perceptions, attitudes, behaviors, and even social norms.
Media effects are studied across disciplines like communication, psychology, sociology, and
political science.

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Examples of Media Effects in Action

 Political Campaigns: Media framing can influence voter perceptions of candidates.

 Public Health Messaging: Campaigns on smoking or COVID-19 vaccines affecting public
behavior.
 Pop Culture: Trends set by movies, music, or social media platforms impacting fashion,
speech, or lifestyles.

Media effects are dynamic and vary by audience, context, and type of media consumed. They
continue to evolve with technological advancements and the rise of digital platforms.

Mass Media
Mass media refers to channels of communication designed to reach a large audience.

Categories of Mass Media

1. Print Media

Refers to physical printed materials that disseminate information. Primarily used for news, in-
depth analysis, advertising, and education.

Examples: newspapers, magazines, books, brochure, and flyers

2. Broadcast Media

Media that transmits information through electromagnetic waves. Widely used for
entertainment, news, and live events. It allows simultaneous reach to a large audience.

Examples: Television and radio

3. Digital Media (Online Media)

Media distributed through digital platforms, primarily via the internet. Increasingly dominant,
providing real-time updates, interactivity, and a wide range of content types.

Examples: Websites, social media, platforms (Facebook, Instagram, etc.), streaming services
(Netflix, YouTube, etc.), podcasts, and blogs

4. Outdoor Media

Public display media used to reach audiences in specific locations. Often used for advertising
and public awareness campaigns.

Examples: billboards, posters, transit advertising (buses, taxis, trains), street furniture ads

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5. Cinema

Films and advertisements shown in theaters or through on-demand video platforms. Used to
inform, entertain, and sometimes educate, while reaching a captive audience.

Examples: feature films, documentaries, cinema advertising

6. Telecommunications Media

Use of phones and related technology to share messages. Increasingly integrated with digital
media to deliver personalized content.

Examples: SMS campaigns, mobile notifications, televised phone-in programs

Each type of mass media has its strengths and is often used in
combination to effectively communicate messages to diverse
audiences.

Common Broadcast Formats on radio and Television

In most developing countries, radio is the media channel that reaches the widest audience.
Most people in the world have access to a radio. Most televisions are found in industrialised
countries. However, the numbers are rapidly increasing in developing countries – especially in
cities and towns and among nearby rural populations.

• News. News bulletins are an important part of the daily output of most radio and TV
stations. Local radio stations usually broadcast local news. Getting social mobilization
messaging mentioned in a news bulletin is highly desirable because it gives it
widespread coverage, credibility, importance and costs nothing.

• Spot announcements. These can be public service announcements such as clinic

opening times, immunisation sessions and availability of counselling services. These will
usually be broadcast free of charge. Commercial stations may allow you to 'buy time' in
the form of commercials.

• Discussions. There are many kinds of discussion programmes. The one most commonly
used on radio is the 'group' or 'round table' discussion. In it, a group of people having
different opinions and possibly from different backgrounds discuss a subject under a
chairperson’s guidance.

• 'Phone-in' programmes. In this type of programme listeners call the studio either 'live'
or 'off air' and give their views, ask questions or request advice. Their calls are taken by
the broadcaster, an expert in the studio or by a panel involved in the discussion.

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 • Interviews. Interviews involve a discussion set out in question and answer form between
the broadcaster and one (or two) guests. Interviews can also be used to obtain opinions
from every day people, either in a studio situation or outside in the community. The
latter method is called 'vox pop'.

• Talks and documentaries. A 5-15 minute talk by one person is occasionally used but,
unless the broadcaster is very skilled, it can be boring. Documentaries explore a single
topic in some detail and give information by filming real-life situations. They can include
spoken information from a presenter, interviews with health workers, decision-makers
and members of the community, and even music and drama.

• Dramas. This method includes long or short plays, soap operas, comedy sketches,
serials, and drama/documentaries. Drama has enormous potential for education
because the audience can identify with the characters and their problems.

• Quizzes and panel games. Quizzes among a panel of guests are popular and most
people watching or listening try to answer the questions themselves and learn
something from the answers. A good approach is to ask questions that require listeners
to send in the correct answers in order to win a prize. This gives feedback on how many
people heard the programme and understood the message.

• Magazine programmes. This format combines different elements: music, drama, stories,
sketches, interviews, comedy, and discussion. They are linked by a presenter and may be
aimed at a particular audience such as women, farmers, or young people.

Use of Broadcast Formats in Social Mobilization Campaigns

1. The messages can be within program content
(news, drama, quizzes, documentaries, magazine programs, etc.)
E.g.
• A victim of domestic violence in a drama series gets help at a women’s shelter.
• A documentary about negative effects of use of plastic materials on marine life in the
oceans.
The main purpose is entertainment and information. Free coverage of mobilization topics is
possible if they are seen as newsworthy or of public interest.

2. Messages can be outside of program content

(advertisements, jingles, spot announcements, public service broadcasts)
These deliberately set out to influence people. They are sometimes free but usually have to be
paid for.

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Other Broadcast methods
Mass media education messages can be recorded as video and audio and can be played to
groups of people in public gatherings through loudspeakers:

• waiting rooms
• community meeting halls
• schools
• on village public address systems
• at market places
Videos and audios can be tailor-made to specific communities. This approach makes it possible
to combine the entertainment value of mass media with a message directly relevant to the local
community.

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Use of Music
Music is an essential part of broadcasting whether it is traditional music, popular local music,
musical jingles, or background music for programmes. It attracts people to watch and listen.
Jingles or songs with a message can become very popular and people will sing them and
remember the message.
E.g.
“Usione soo, sema naye” ISHI HIV/AIDS song. Watch at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGlJRW8yU80

Use of Print Media and Outdoor Media

Newspapers, books, and magazines reach a more limited audience than radio and TV. Access is
limited by:
• Illiteracy
• Cost
• Problems with distribution to outlying areas.

Postage stamps have been used to promote health related topics e.g. for HIV/AIDS education in
Tanzania.

Billboards on roadsides, buses, and other public places are widely used for advertising.

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Slogans and Jingles
Slogan
• A catchy, short sentence
• Designed to attract attention
• Can be based on a well-known saying or rhyme
Examples of slogans:
“Just do it” - Nike
“Think different” – Apple
“Open happiness” – Coca-cola
“Red Bull gives you wings” – Red Bull
“Saiziyako” – TIGO Fiesta 2019
“Hiiniyaukweli” – Coca-cola
“Mkubwawao” – Pepsi
“It can be” – Stanbic Bank Tanzania
“Tigo live it, love it” – Tigo
“Kweli, pesanimpesa” – Vodacom TZ
“The spirit of the nation” – Konyagi
“The wings of Kilimanjaro” – Air Tanzania
Use of a slogan in an advertisement

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Use of a slogan to introduce something new:

Jingle
• A slogan that is set to music

• Or just a tune (no lyrics)

• A jingle can make a slogan more memorable

• Can be used to identify:

- A programme

- A person

- A radio station, Television station

- A theme.

Slogans and jingles can identify a

communication campaign
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Commercial advertising
Commercial companies have large budgets for advertising. They can afford to produce high-
quality advertisements that appear many times and reach large numbers of people.
When producing communication materials for a social mobilization campaign, there is need to
consider the commercial messages being received by the community and make sure your own
material is of sufficient quality to compare favourably with them.

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Contexts Mass Communication
Number of people Usually thousands (up to
hundreds of millions)
Degree of formality or intimacy Generally formal
Opportunities for feedback Usually none
Need for pre-structured Almost totally scripted
messages
Degree of stability of roles of Highly stable: On-air speaker,
speaker and listener invisible listeners

EXERCISE 1
Pay attention to any slogans and jingles you see or hear in any media,
for both commercial advertising and social mobilization.
EXERCISE 2
Create slogans for social mobilization campaigns to:
- Increase number of students enrolling to study Creative Arts in
university
- Reduce the use of skin lightening creams
- Increase the number of UDSM students who visit the Counseling Unit
Remember: slogans, jingles, and logos can identify a communication
campaign.

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