Mass journalism is a reference to the term ‘mass communication.’ Taken for it’s literal meaning, anyone can see that mass communication means the giving or receiving of information to and from a large group of individuals, usually the public. However, what it really means is transmitting information to large quantities of people. What’s the reason for the focus on this? Well, mass communication can be tricky in some instances.
The Audience
While many focus on the ‘mass’ to mean delivering information to large groups of people, the focus should be placed on the people themselves. For instance, a news station covering a metropolitan area may have a few hundred thousand viewers. When they create feature stories, the stories should reflect what those few hundred thousand people are most interested in.
It’s not enough to create a story that’s good enough to be published or broadcast for these individuals; the story must hit home and really focus in on issues that are on the minds of these individuals.
Being Fair and Balanced
Now, even though an issue might be very important to all of these people, it doesn’t mean they all have the same opinion on that issue. If one is reporting on candidates for city council, they cannot take the side of a particular candidate, because a large portion of the audience might not take that same candidate’s side.
The reporting must be done objectively so as to appeal to every viewer, and not just the viewers on a particular side of an issue. Sometimes, this can be difficult when a journalist takes a strong viewpoint to a subject, but the journalist must learn to separate his or her work from their own personal opinions so as to remain fair and balanced.
Mass Journalism Courses
Mass journalism courses teach individuals the particulars of reporting or writing for a large audience, as well as being fair and balanced. These courses have changed recently to incorporate the growing online journalism industry. Studies include diversity in audiences, culture differences, fair and balanced reporting, challenging audiences and viewers, and much more.
It is recommended that any potential journalist take mass communication or mass journalism courses to fully understand the subject and how to make the best of a journalism career using this information.
Just a few of the colleges with excellent courses in mass communication include the Indiana University School of Journalism, Kentucky University, and the University of North Carolina. Studying mass communications can enrich the career of any individual who hopes to be a journalist.
