Roles and Functions of Mass Media Cape 2024

1. The roles and function of mass
media in the Caribbean region

2. What is mass media?
••MMaassssmmeeddiiaaraerfeercshtaontnheolsseofmediathat are
d
c
e
o
s
m
i
g
m
n
e
u
d
n
i
t
c
o
a
t
b
i
o
e
n
c
o
t
h
n
r
s
o
u
u
m
g
e
h
d
w
b
h
y
i
c
l
a
h
r
m
g
e
e
a
s
s
u
a
d
g
i
e
sces
t
f
h
l
o
r
o
w
u
,g
p
h
r
o
t
d
h
u
e
c
a
e
g
d
e
b
n
y
c
i
a
e
s
f
e
o
w
ft
f
e
o
c
r
h
c
n
o
o
n
l
o
s
u
g
m
yption
by many people. As the messages go
through the channels, they are distorted.
When people receive mass-media
messages, they have no opportunity for
immediate feedback with the producers of
the messages.

3. Mass media
According to Waterman, mass media may be
defined as the institutions which use the
increasingly sophisticated technological
developments of industrialism for the
communication of ideas, for the purpose of
information, entertainment and persuasion, to
large scale audiences

4. Mass media
Mass media can be presented in many different
forms such as:
• Electronic ( radio, TV, films, internet/
computer, etc.)
• Print (newspaper, magazines, books, journals,
periodicals, pamphlets, poster etc.)
They can be used to inform, entertain, persuade
and manipulate.

5. Newspaper
T
Th
hie
ss
ie
s t
o
h
b
e
je
o
c
lt
d
ie
ve
st
sm
sh
e
o
a
u
n
ls
do
bfem
to
as
e
snsure
c
fo
re
m
em
do
um
nic
oa
ftt
io
hn
e,p
fr
u
e
n
sd
sa
, m
fre
ee
nd
ta
olm
rig
to
htp
su
is
bltio
sh
p
n
r
e
e
w
s
e
s
n
a
t
s
n
t
e
r
u
w
e
ss
w
t
a
i
t
t
h
e
o
m
u
e
t
n
s
t
l
a
s
n
,thiniggh,ds
tias
tnodratirndgoofr
s
ju
op
up
rn
re
as
lis
sim
ngaa
nn
ddto
toae
dx
v
p
is
resg
sofv
oe
rr
tn
hm
rig
e
h
n
ttv
o
ie
nws on
amn
yatmtearsttreerlairtriensgpteoctrievgeuolaftpioenrsaonndalcitoienstrionlvoflved.
newspaper.

6. Radio
One of the important modern inventions.
Which sends information via electrical waves.
It is an effective means of controlling and
molding public opinion.
It broadens our knowledge and understanding
of people all over the world.
Also use as entertainment

7. Television
It communicates information by pictures which
is converted into light rays into electrical waves.
It exerts a powerful influence on habits,
attitudes economics and education due to
twofold process (auditory and visual)
With television man can watch events taking
place in distant locations at the moment they
occur.

8. Regional Media Houses/Corporations
A news agency is an institution which employs
reporters, journalists and photographers to
collect information locally, regionally and
internationally.
Some example which are in the Caribbean:
Caribbean Broadcasting union (CBU)-1970
Caribbean News Agency (CANA)-1976
CARIBVISION

9. Caribbean Broadcasting union (CBU)
With the view to contributing to regional
integration, through the flow of broadcast
material among radio and TV systems in the
region. It represents public and private
broadcasts systems in English, French, Spanish
and Dutch-speaking Caribbean.

10. Caribbean News Agency (CANA)
It’s the only indigenous, independent regional
news agency in CARICOM. Much of what’s read
in Caribbean newspaper and heard on radio and
TV in the region emanates from CANA’s HQ. It
provides news and information on a daily basis
for over 100 newspaper, radio and TV
throughout the region and beyond.

11. CARIBVISION
They started a television exchange in 1970 with
Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) in
Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago Television
(TTT) as contributors. Television stations share
news reports from one country to another.
Barbados External Communication (BET) and
Telecommunication service of TT facilitated
exchange in the first 6 months.

12. Funding and training received from Friedrich
Edert Stiftung (German Foundation) this
expanded over time to include other countries
such as Jamaica, Cuba, Bahamas, Curacao Ran
into Financial problems as many countries were
unable to meet their financial obligations.
CARIBVISION

13. Roles of mass media
• The media informs, educates and entertains
its audiences.
• The media also has the responsibility to
provide accurate and reliable information to
the public. Time is also a factor in this.

14. Functions of the mass media
Mass media has many functions
which can be highlighted under these
headings:
1. Culture
2. Economic development
3. Political process
4. Social roles

15. Media and culture
• Helps develop our culture through regional
programmes. This sharing of programmes
creates integration.
• Portrays life in the Caribbean to the rest of
the world such as sports, business,
tourism, politics and music.

16. Media and Economic Development
• Private and public sector depend on media to
facilitate flow information on programmes of
economic nature.
• Advertise employment opportunities
• Government uses media to inform
the public on economic policies and
issues

17. Media and political process
• Carries political advertisements during
election campaign.
• Provides feedback to government on its
performance/popularity.
• High political achievement of parties/
government

18. Media and Changing Social Roles
• Portrays changing role of family member
• Talk shows, articles about women and their
changing roles and rights
• TV/computer becoming agent of socialization.
• Used in formal education
• Used in bringing religion to people
• Less interaction with peers as TV/ computer
keeps children occupied
• Early exposure of children to ‘facts of life” and
more awareness of the rights of the child