Question

Which of the following is NOT an example of mass communication?

• A. Cinema
• B. Radio
• C. Letters
• D. Newspapers

Hint:

The key difference is the audience. If the medium targets a large, undifferentiated audience (like TV, radio, newspapers), it's mass communication. If it targets a specific individual (like a letter or a phone call), it's interpersonal communication.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Mass communication refers to the process of creating, sending, receiving, and analyzing messages to large audiences via verbal and written media. Its key characteristic is its ability to reach a large, anonymous, and heterogeneous audience simultaneously. Communication that is personal and directed at a specific individual or a small group is known as interpersonal communication.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let's analyze the options:
1. Cinema: Films are shown to large audiences in theaters, making cinema a form of mass communication.
2. Radio: Radio broadcasts signals over a wide area, reaching thousands or millions of listeners at once. It is a classic example of mass communication.
3. Letters: Letters are a form of written communication typically addressed to a specific person or a few known individuals. This is an example of interpersonal communication, not mass communication.
4. Newspapers: Newspapers are printed in large quantities and distributed to a wide readership, disseminating information to the masses. It is a primary form of mass communication.
Step 3: Final Answer:
Letters are a form of personal communication and not an example of mass communication.