Meaning & classification of mass media

Mass Media

The term "mass media" refers to the means of public communication reaching a large audience. When members of the general public refer to "the media" they are usually referring to the mass media, or to the news media, which is a section of the mass media. Sometimes mass media are referred to as the "corporate media". Types of drama in numerous cultures were probably the first mass-media, going back into the Ancient World. The first dated printed book known is the "Diamond Sutra", printed in China in 868 AD, although it is clear that books were printed earlier. Movable clay type was invented in 1041 in China. However, due to the slow spread to the masses of literacy in China, and the relatively high cost of paper there, the earliest printed mass-medium was probably European popular prints from about 1400. Newspapers developed around from 1605, with the first example in English in 1620; but they took until the nineteenth century to reach a massaudience directly. During the 20th century, the growth of mass media was driven by technology that allowed the massive duplication of material. Physical duplication technologies such as printing, record pressing and film duplication allowed the duplication of books, newspapers and movies at low prices to huge audiences. Radio and television allowed the electronic duplication of information for the first time.

Mass media had the economics of linear replication: a single work could make money proportional to the number of copies sold, and as volumes went up, units costs went down, increasing profit margins further. Vast fortunes were to be made in mass media. In a democratic society, independent media serve to educate the public/electorate about issues regarding government and corporate entities. Some consider the concentration of media ownership to be a grave threat to democracy.
Mass media are the tools or technologies that facilitate dissemination of information and entertainment to a vast number of consumers. They are the tools of large-scale manufacture and distribution of information and related messages. These tools ‘mediate’ the messages; they are not the messages themselves. Mass media can also be looked at as industries, as cultural or entertainment industries. While cinema, radio, television, cable, and the press can easily be recognized as ‘mass media’, the ‘new media can be identified as recent technologies such as pagers, cellular phones, satellites, computers, electronic mail and the internet. 

Mass media can be used for various purposes: 

• Advocacy, both for business and social concerns. This can include advertising, marketing, propaganda, public relations, and political communication.
• Enrichment and education.
• Entertainment, traditionally through performances of acting, music, and sports, along with light reading; since the late 20th century also through video and computer games. 
• Journalism. 
• Public service announcements.

Classification of Media: 

Media refers to any kind of format used to convey information. Mass Media refers to those types of media that are designed to reach large numbers of people. The various types of mass media are:

1.  Television cable, network, satellite, etc. 
2.  Radio 
3.  Film & Video 
4.  Print newspapers, magazines, direct mail, e tc.
5. Photography 

Electronic E -mail, the Web, etc.All media produce a variety of genres, which refers to a particular type of style or content. 
Mass media genres can be divided into four basic types:

1. Informative media - such as news shows, newspapers, informative Web sites, etc. 
2. Educational media - such as books, educational video or educational software programs. 
3. Persuasive media - such as all types of advertising, television infomercials, newspaper editorials, or Web sites that attempt to persuade. 
4. Entertainment media - such as entertainment magazines, movies, novels or entertainment related Web sites. 
5. Television offers all types of programs to the public, including comedies, dramas, documentaries, news, soap operas, talk shows, advertising, and so on. Each of these programs can illustrate more than one genre.

 For example, an educational television show can also be entertaining. All media work to identify specific groups as target audiences. These are groups of people who are most likely to be receptive to a particular type of program, movie, article, idea, genre, etc.