The last decade of the 20th century witnesses a new wave of media: an increase in the
influence of the Internet, mobile phones, and new digital technologies, allowing
client-media interactivity.
Digitalisation facilitates the convergence of media and transforms it into “multimedia”,
considered today the most modern modality to send a message.
Theoretical background
Starting from the etymology of the two terms (Lat. massa “a large quantity of aggregate
entities”, medium – pl. media “means of conveyance”), mass-media is “an English term
that refers to mass communication means”; but also defines those “sets of techniques and
means of transmission by centralized providers of messages to large, heterogeneous
audiences spread over a wide geographic area. From an institutional perspective,
mass-media can be considered social, cultural and economic institutions” (Dictionary of
sociology, 1993).
More information regarding the contents of the collocation can be found by analysing the
opinions of experts in various fields.
For pedagogues in the 1970s, modern mass communication means were “modern means
of conveying information (mass culture) to a large audience (masses of people), first of
all radio, television and cinema, including large format printed material, disks, recording
tape, etc.”, and audio-visual means were “a complex of educational means including both
the integrated ones presented on visual, auditory or audio-visual support, and the
technical equipment by means of which they are used or manufactured” (Dictionary of
pedagogy, 1979).
From the managers’ point of view “mass-media is one of the valuable and efficient means
of transmitting information to masses, that has considerably developed in the
contemporary world, with particular receptivity and modelling / mobilizing influences on
the public irrespective of age, profession and beliefs” (Schramm, 1982).
Currently, the academic environment laconically defines mass-media as “the technical
means (newspaper, radio, television, cinema, etc.), which convey information to the
masses” (http://dexonline.ro).
We conclude that at present mass-media is:
- a means of information and communication;
- making use of technical instruments and means / supportive technologies /
institutions etc. of ever higher performance over time; - to broadcast the latest news;