Mass Communication & Journalism

Broadcasting: Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and/or video signals which transmit programs to an audience. The audience may be the general public or a relatively large sub-audience, such as children or young adults. RADIO BROADCASTING: Broadcasting system is a chain of technically / electronically coupled elements which is used to pick up an ordinary sound wave, convert it to an electrical wave (of some frequency say from 50Hz to 10 Khz) without any change in its parameters. This sound wave is fed to a radio transmitter where its frequency is again raised by combining it to third wave of a higher frequency called the radio frequency. This is the frequency which is allotted to a particular station (in Pakistan a Frequency Allocation Board (FAB) allotted a frequency). This is called the carrier frequency while the wave of the second frequency is called the audio wave. The audio and carrier waves are combined electronically through a process called Modulation. This important ...

Educational broadcasting usually comprises a series of programmes on a subject, like the sequence and chapters of written material of a book, so designed to assist the educational process. Radio programmes falling under educational broadcasting are normally planned in conjunction with the prescribed syllabus. In worldwide belief use of radio for educational purposes has its own history. The broadcast medium has been used both for curriculum based and general educative purposes. “School Broadcast” was already established before the Second World War. United states , Australia and united kingdom has successfully woven the radio programmes into the normal school time tables. During and immediately after the Second World War a shortage of teachers was felt in Japan . At that time radio helped to compensate the lack of teaching personnel in various disciplines. Later radio was given new roles. General Educative Role:      Radio has b...

Radio and Television are based on major three categories programmes. Radio broadcasting ever since its birth has kept growing in terms of its programmes, policies and target areas in order to meet the requirements of its listeners and ever changing demands of the time. Following diagram shows the programmes classification in both medias:- Radio programmes can be classified on the basis of various criteria. However, the broad classification of programmes is made on the following basis: Aims of programme Audiences of the programme Formats of the programmes AIMS OF PROGRAMME:             Under this approach programmes are classified in accordance with the overall aims conceived by the planner. This classification comprises entertainment programme, information programme, educative programmes or social purpose programmes. AUDIENCES OF THE PROGRAMMES:  ...

WHAT IS NEWS? An expert said: “What comes first is news!” News programme is a regularly scheduled radio or television program that reports current events. It is usually reported in a series of individual stories that are presented by one or more anchors. A news programme can include live or recorded interviews by field reporters, expert opinions, opinion poll results, and occasional editorial content. News programs hit about 10 - 20 different stories, giving each one less than two minutes. WHAT IS CURRENT AFFAIRS? Someone told me: “Discussing today is Current Affairs!” Current Affairs Programme is a genre of broadcast journalism where the emphasis is on detailed analysis and discussion of news stories that have recently occurred or are ongoing at the time of broadcast. This differs from regular news broadcasts where the emphasis is on news reports presented for simple presentation as soon as possible, often with a minimum of analysis. It is also different for the newsmagazine ...

The Free Flow of Information Act is a bill intended to provide a news reporter with the right to refuse to testify as to information or sources of information obtained during the newsgathering and distribution process. The “Free Flow of Information” is a concept linked to the basic human right of freedom of speech and opinion. Every one has the right to freedom of opinion and expression. This right includes freedom to hold opinion without interference and to see, receive and impart information and ideas through any medium regardless of any frontiers. Accurate knowledge about the true problem, about the complex aspects that affect the problem and potential solution, and about how humans tend to think, react, and behave is essential for developing practical, innovative solutions. It requires getting the requisite knowledge in applicable form to the best point in the design process. And many times, to reach this goal, we must break down some mental barriers that we have built inside o...

ETHICS:-               Ethics also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy which seeks to address questions about morality, such as what the fundamental semantic, ontological, and epistemic nature of ethics or morality is (meta-ethics), how moral values should be determined (normative ethics), how a moral outcome can be achieved in specific situations (applied ethics), how moral capacity or moral agency develops and what its nature is (moral psychology), and what moral values people actually abide by (descriptive ethics). MEDIA ETHICS:-  The subdivision of practical ethics dealing with the specific ethical principles and standards of media, including broadcast media, film, theatre, the arts, print media and the internet. The field covers many varied and highly controversial topics, ranging from war journalism to Benetton advertising. Ethics of Journalism :  T...

Copyright gives the author of an original work exclusive right for a certain time period in relation to that work, including its publication, distribution and adaptation, after which time the work is said to enter the public domain. Copyright applies to any expressible form of an idea or information that is substantive and discrete and fixed in a medium. Some jurisdictions also recognize "moral rights" of the creator of a work, such as the right to be credited for the work. Copyright is described under the umbrella term intellectual property along with patents and trademarks. History:- The concept of copyright originates with the Statute of Anne (1710) in Britain. It established the author of a work as the owner of the right to copy that work and the concept of a fixed term for that copyright. The Statute of Anne was the first real copyright act, and gave the authors rights for a fixed period, a fourteen year term for all works published the Statute, after which the copyri...