Students interested in pursuing a degree in communication may be daunted by the term “mass communication.” Mass communication is simply a function within the larger field of communication itself. Most define mass communication as the process of a business or organization (or sometimes an individual) sending a message through a certain channel intended for a large audience. The most commonly used channels are television, radio, social media or print publications, and the audience is typically the general public or a special segment of the general public.
Potential messages communicated via mass communication might include news updates, entertainment tidbits, company branding, insider knowledge, advice or other types of information. As social networks and online news outlets continue to flourish and evolve, so does mass communication. Thus, a student of communication must continuously stay current on updates after graduation.
Examples of media sources that communicate to large numbers of people are newspapers like The New York Times and Wall Street Journal, radio stations like NPR, TV stations like CNN and Fox News and social media sites like Gawker, Huffington Post and YouTube.
Communications skills are applicable in virtually every job. Many employers view communication majors as extremely employable. The degree is an interdisciplinary course of study and opens up doors to a wide range of careers, from advertising and broadcasting to public relations and publishing.
Here is an overview of a few of the most popular career paths and how they relate to mass communication.
Public Relations
Public relations professionals serve as a liaison between the media and their clients. A major goal of PR is to earn positive media coverage for clients and client events, building solid relationships with key media contacts and using mass communication to the client’s advantage. PR pros have strong writing and organization skills and know how to prioritize their time based on client needs. Strategic planning, creativity, tact and extreme professionalism are all attractive traits of those in PR.
Advertising
Advertising is different from PR in that advertising professionals pay for key mass communication media placements (billboards, radio and TV commercials, online ads) on behalf of their clients. Advertising is less about relationships and more about strategic planning and decision-making. The ability to negotiate to get the best placements for a reasonable price at key times is imperative.
Journalism
While it’s true that print journalism has declined rapidly over the past decade, newspapers and magazines are still a big part of the mass communication scene. Online journalism (such as blogs and online media outlets) has experienced a major growth spurt in the past decade. Broadcast journalism (television and radio) is an attractive field under the mass communication umbrella, but jobs can be extremely competitive, especially in television. New communication grads interested in journalism might pursue careers in the online sector for the best career growth potential in mass communication.