The term mass communication is derived from two words: mass and communication. Mass is a large number of people or objects crowded together, while communication is a way of imparting or exchanging information by an encoder through speaking, writing, gestures, and other mediums.
There is a difference between communication and mass communication.
Communication is a form of exchanging information between two or more people. But mass communication must be between a large number of people.
CAREERS IN MASS COMMUNICATION
There are many prospective career paths one can thread as a mass communicator. Some of them namely,
Freelancer: this is a person who is self-employed and can cover any bite, a person who sells his work or research.
Public relation officer (PRO): this is a person who maintains the relationship between the organization and the public /society, A PRO also control the information flow of the organization.
Journalism: this is a profession that relates to news writing, reporting, preparing and distributing to the public through a medium. Journalism is a field of study that focuses on news publication.
Event planning is providing an idea for an event and managing the event to see the idea turns into a successful program.
CHALLENGES OF MASS COMMUNICATORS
With every profession, there are challenges associated with it, and the mass communicator’s job is no different. Some of these difficulties have been outlined below.
Corruption: is an act of dishonesty, manipulation, forgery, or taking bribes to cover or prevent the correct or sensitive information from reaching the public. Most professionals in the media space do not get enough financial rewards for their troubles. Some well-to-do people take advantage of this situation to influence the work of mass communicators in some of the following ways.
Poor facilities: some mass communicators do not have the right gadgets or tools to execute their duties, which limits the production flow.
Lack of proper training: inadequate training prevents mass communicators from knowing their professional ethics and way of production. Proper training helps you understand what news is, how to source news, how to write news and how to present news.
Government policy: a change in government or policies like functional, public, specific or organizational policy can affect the operations of mass communicators and restrict the freedom of the press.
Ethnicity: this factor is prevalent, especially in Nigeria. Ethnicity means the state of belonging to a peer group, society, religion, culture, tradition, gender etc.
HOW CAN MASS COMMUNICATORS WORK EFFECTIVELY?
By adhering to their professional ethics to prevent corruption and having a passion for their work. Organizations should update their facilities and avoid the usage of Analogue devices. They should give their workers first-hand training on all facilities.
The Government should consider credibility when it comes to appointments or employments in the mass communication sector rather than focusing on tradition, gender, family and friendship backgrounds.
In Conclusion, Mass communicators play a vital role in society; they are the voice to the voices less and greatly influence the people. There is a bright future for any mass communicator who patiently acquires the profession’s knowledge.
