1) Face to Face

2) Machine Assisted

3) Mass Communications

Mass Communications

But the Internet has blurred this definition by rewriting the rules. Instead of "a complex organizations sending public messages to large audiences to influence an action", you now have individuals sending public messages to narrow (but global) audiences to influence an action.

Sender
1) A group of individuals with a fixed role within an organization, "professional communicators". This makes most "mass communication" a group effort.

2) Or an individual with access to a "mass" channel. As the cartoon to the right shows, new forms of technology allow individuals unprecedented mass audiences

"The mighty have fallen at the New York Times, and, say the bloggers, they know who did the toppling. To the rhythm of some thumps on the chest, the bloggers pronounce that they themselves did the deed.

If they are right, we thereby have a signal of just what an extraordinary force blogging is, even a hint that the Internet might be a latter-day equal of the printing press in its society - changing potential."

Click here to read "The Bloggers Strike."

Encoding
A highly complex process with multiple steps, usually performed by specialists

Channels
1) Highly complex and machine assisted

2) Distribution can be slow, like a TV show or movie that might be watched years after it was created, or rapid, like a blog post that's immediatly picked up and spread over the Internet

3) And often on a regular schedule

Messages
1) Public, intended for large audiences

2) Is designed to influence the audience

3) Termination is easiest in mass communication

Decoding
Also complex, involving multiple machines

Receiver
1) Thought of as a mass "audience" rather than as an individual

2) Heterogeneous, made up of several different groups. Although niche communications like MTV or a topic specific blog can target narrow groups.

3) Spread over wide geographic area

4) Self-defined - the audience chooses what messages to receive

5) Subjective - each individual interprets the message in a unique way.

6) Anonymous to one another

As a result, receivers are influenced in unpredictable ways

Feedback
1) Indirect at best, often minimal

2) The search for direct feedback is vital. This explains the importance of audience testing and audience measurements.

Noise
The complexity of the process greatly increases the chance of noise, reducing the effectiveness of the message.

Environmental - Semantic - Psychological