Mass communication

Mass Communication, Functions and Roles 
MASS COMMUNICATION; FUNCTION AND ROLE

    Mass communication is a communication process is done through the mass media with various communication purposes and to communicate information to a wide audience. Thus, the critical elements in mass communication are:1. communicator,2. mass media.3. The information (message).4. gatekeeper.5. audience (public) and6. feedback.Communicators in mass communication are:

    those who rely on the mass media with modern communication technology, so it can be quickly accessed by the public.
    Parties are trying to provide services through the deployment of information and also become agents of change in the understanding, insight and solutions to millions of masses scattered anywhere without their presence clearly known.
    Parties are a source of information or news that represent the formal institutions that are looking to benefit from the information dissemination.
The mass media is a channel / tool of communication and information dissemination of mass information and can be accessed by the public en masse anyway.Mass information is information that is intended to be mass society, not only the information that is only consumed in private. Thus the mass of information is a public good, not individuals. Such as news, advertising, soap operas, movies, infoteinment, etc.Gatekeeper is selectors information. As we know that mass communication is run by some media organizations, they who will select any information to be disseminated to the public. They even have the authority to expand or limit the information to be disseminated. They are a journalist, editor, director, etc.Is the mass audience that the purpose of the dissemination of information from the mass media. They are heterogeneous and wide.Feedback. Originally feedback is delayed, but with the development of communication technology, the interactive communication can be done directly through the mass media.
CONCEPT OF MASSMassa has important elements, namely:

    Consists of a group of people in a very large number, which spreads everywhere and each other or do not know each other or have never met in person.
    A large amount of mass that causes mass can not be distinguished from one another. For example, the audience RCTI with Anteve. Hence the concept of segmentation is difficult to predict the mass of the figures certainly (accurate).
    Due to the large amount of mass is also difficult to be organized. The number of large masses that tend to move on their own based on the mass of cells that can be controlled by the people in that cell. Mass movements would be even greater if the cells were met and moves based on instantaneous conditions that occur in the field. Interaction is usually emotional.
    Massa is a reflection of social life in general. Every form of social life reflects a condition of society as a whole.
KOMUNIKASII PROCESS MASSMass communication in the process involves a lot of people who are complex and complicated. According McQuail (1999) visible mass communication process proceeds in the form of:

    do the distribution and reception of information in large scale. So the process of mass communication from distribution of community information on a large scale, once broadcast or news jumlahdan very broad scope and huge.
    mass communication process tends to be done through a one-way model is of the communicator to the communicant or the media to the public. Interactions that occur are limited.
    mass communication process be asymmetrical between the communicator with the communicant. This causes the communication between them lasted flat and temporary. If it happens emotional sensation is temporary and not permanent.
     mass communication process also takes place non-personal or impersonal and anonymous.
    mass communication process also takes place based on the relationship needs in the community. For example, the program will be determined by what takes viewers. Thus the mass media is also determined by the rating is the size in which a program at the same time watched by a mass audience.

MASS CULTUREMass communication proceed at the level of mass culture so that the properties of mass communication is strongly influenced by the mass culture that developed in the community where the communication process takes place. Thus, the mass culture in the mass communication has the following characteristics:

    non-traditional, ie mass communication generally closely related to popular culture. Events infoteiment, variety shows, Indonesian Idol is an example.
    mass culture also be populist, scattered mass base so that no tapers at an elite level, but if the new elite involved in this process, then it is part of the process of mass base itself.
    mass culture is also producing masses. Everyone can take advantage of as public entertainment.
    mass culture is closely connected with popular culture as a source of mass culture. In fact, strictly speaking that is not popular, if not mass culture, meaning that traditional culture can also become popular if it becomes mass culture. For example Srimulat, campursari or ludruk. In the beginning of this traditional art developed in traditional societies with traditional characters coming, but when art is packaged in the media then touches dominate the whole art was popular both stories, costumes, background and no longer be limited to the consumption of rural communities.
    mass culture is mainly produced by the mass media at a considerable cost in the hope of generating greater profits as a continuation of mass culture itself. Because it is produced commercially mass culture that is not only a guarantee of continuity of mass culture but also generate profits for the capital invested in these activities.
    mass culture also produced exclusively with symbols of social class on so impressed modern and prestigious, but the actual mass culture for anyone who wants to enjoy it. The main requirement of this exclusion is the mass culture of openness and willingness to engage in mass culture.FUNCTIONS OF MASS COMMUNICATIONMass communication is one of the social activities that function in society. Robert K.Merton suggests that the function of social activity has two aspects, namely the real functions (manifest function) is a real function is desired, the two functions are not obvious or hidden (latent function), which is not desirable function. So basically every social function in a society that has the effect of functional and dysfunctional.In addition to the manifest and latent function function, every social activity also serves childbirth (beiring function) other social functions, that humans have the ability to adapt very perfect. So that every social function that is considered harmful to himself, then he will change the social functions that exist. For example, the eradication of corruption committed by the government, on the one hand is to cleanse society of corruption, but on the other hand anti-corruption measures are not followed by the improvement of the system will only lead to fear for government officials extensively about their future because they feel their actions are being monitored, feared and followed. There is a good system maintenance and fears it will give birth (beiring) models of new, more sophisticated corruption. Thus, the old social activity when social pressure, and then undergo metamorphosis and then gave birth to a social activity.Similarly, the communication function of the mass media, as a social activity, mass media communication also experienced similar things. As news tsunami danger to the life of coastal communities. On the one hand, the news is information about how coastal communities can avoid the danger of tsunami disaster when it comes, but the news was also while creating fear and anxiety are very deeply for the people who live on the coast. In fact, it's also bad news for those who will plan the mountains moved away to the coastal areas.a) The function of supervisionThe mass media is a medium in which can be used to supervise the activities of the community at large. This monitoring function can be a warning and control social and persuasive activities. Surveillance and social control can be performed for preventive activities to prevent things that are not desirable. Like, preaching the dangers of drugs for human life which is done through the mass media and addressed to the public, then the function for preventive activities so that people do not fall under the influence of drugs. While the persuasive function as an attempt to give rewards and punishments to the public in accordance with what it does. Medai mass can give rewards to the people that are useful and functional for other community members, but so will give punishment if its activity is not useful even harm other social functions in society.b) The function of social learningThe main function of mass communication through mass media is doing the guiding and social education to the whole community. Mass media served to provide insights into the society in which mass communication was taking place. Mass communication dimaksukan that the enlightenment process is effective and efficient and spread simultaneously in society at large. The function of mass communication is a contribution that is made to cover the weaknesses of functions paedogogi conducted through face-to-face communication, which due to its nature, it can only take place paedogogi function exclusively between certain individuals.c) The function of delivering informationMass communication which rely on mass media, emiliki main function, which is becoming informai delivery process to the general public. Mass communication allows information from public institutions conveyed to the public at large in a short time so that the function of information is achieved in a short time and short.d) The function of cultural transformationInformative functions are functions that are static, but other functions are more dynamic is a function of cultural transformation. Mass communication as difat-cultural nature of mass, then the turpentine is mass communication becomes a process of cultural transormai conducted jointly by all components of mass communication, especially those carried out by the mass media.This cultural transformation function becomes very important and related to other functions, especially social learning function, but the function of cultural transformation over the great duties as part of a global bidaya. As we know that cultural changes caused by the development of telematics is a major concern of all the people in the world, since it could be used for education can also be used for other functions, such as politics, trade, religion, law, military, and so on. So, it is inevitable that the mass communication plays an important role in this process in which virtually all telematics developments continue to exclude the processes of mass communication, especially in the process of cultural transformation.e) EntertainmentAnother function of communication is entertainment, that in tune with other functions, mass communication is also used as a medium of entertainment, especially for mass komuniasi use mass media, entertainment adi functions that exist in the mass media is also part of the functions of mass communication.Cultural transformation carried out by mass communication continue to exclude these entertainment functions as an important part in the functioning of mass communication. Entertainment can not be separated from the function of the mass media itself and can not be separated from the goal of cultural transformation. Thus, the entertainment function of mass communication functions support each other in the process of mass communication.MASS COMMUNICATION AS A SOCIAL SYSTEMThe word originated in the Greek system, ie Systema. That is a set of parts or components that are interconnected with each other regularly, and a whole (Narwoko and Suyanto, 2004: 123). In the tradition of social science systems use the term more commonly used to refer to the definition of an organic system, ie a system which involves a series of several smaller components that have life (animate). This term is used to distinguish the use of the same term in the exact sciences, in which an inorganic system consists of several smaller components soulless (in-animate). However, the term system leads to understanding the system as a set of social life consists of components that are interconnected to each other regularly and systematically and to form a complete life.In society, the system used remedy some sense as follows:

    the system is intended as a thought or idea that is composed, organized and formed a systematic and logical unity, umpanya is philosophy, the value of government, democracy, kinship, and so on.
    system refers to the notion of a unity, a group, a set of multiple units or components separately, have special relationships so as to form an integrated whole, such as airplanes, computers, watches, and so on.
    the system is intended to mention a metod, how, techniques used, such as learning systems, training systems, systems act, and so forth.
Talcot Parson split character of social systems:1. The character set that the system consists of several components that are present in people's daily lives.2. The character of equilibrium, ie the system is a balanced life is governed by norms and rules in the society. (Ritzer and Goodman, 2003)Things that can be used on systems theory is:

    system as a theory can be used all the social sciences.
    2. The system contains many levels and can be applied to the social aspects of the world's large and small, to the spatial aspects of subjective and objective.
    3. The system theory is interested in the diversity of the relationship of the various aspects of the social world.
    4. The system approach tend to assume saw all sociocultural aspects in terms of the process, especially information and communications networks.
    5. The theory is inherent and integrative system (Ritzer and goodman; 2003)
Mass communication as a social system has critical components, namely:

    resource persons as sources of information for the media.
    public who consume media.
    mass media include, organization, human resources, production facilities, distribution, policies adopted, ideology championed, etc.
    rule of law and legislation, norms and values, as well as the code of ethics governing the conduct of all stakeholders mass communication.
    supporting institutions that grow to contribute to the activities of mass communication, such as printing, advertising, production house, etc.
    parties that control the course of mass communication, capital, power, political power, as well as interest groups.
    other supporting elements allowing the mass communication activities. For example, a producer of communications technology, social, economic, political, international and global conditions the world political arena.
ROLE OF MASS MEDIAThe mass media is an institution that acts as an agent of change, namely as a pioneer institution changes. This is a major paradigm of mass media. In carrying out mass media paradigm:

    as public enlightenment institutions, namely its role as a medium of education. Mass media into the media all the time to educate people so intelligent, open-minded, and be advanced society.
    mass media into the media information for the community. With lots of information society becomes more able to participate in every activity.
    mass media as a medium of entertainment. As an agent of change, the mass media also become cultural institutions, a mouthpiece of culture, cultural development catalyst.
(Source: sociology of communication, burhan Bungin)