CSS Syllabus – Journalism and Mass Communication

Journalism and Mass Communication – 100 Marks

I. Introduction to Mass Communication

1. Concept of Mass Communication

• Definitions

• Need, importance, and purposes

• Types of communication

• Process of communication

• Basic models of communication

2. Communication Models

• Functions of a model

• Evaluation of a model

3. Basic Models in Mass Communication

• Lasswell’s Model (1948)

• Shannon-Weaver Model (1948)

• Osgood’s Model (1954)

• Schramm’s Model (1954)

• Newcomb’s Symmetry Theory (1953)

• Westley-MacLean’s Model (1976)

• Gerbner’s Model (1956)

II. Mass Communication Theories

• Normative theories of the press

• Schramm’s four theories and criticism of these theories

• Media as agents of power

• The Spiral of Silence

• Media Uses and Gratifications

• Media Hegemony

• Diffusion of Innovations

• Powerful Effects Model:

  • Hypodermic Needle Theory

  • Silver Bullet Theory

• Moderate Effects Model:

  • Two-Step Flow of Communication

  • Multi-Step Flow of Communication

• Powerful Media Revisited:

  • Marshall McLuhan’s Media Determinism

III. Global / International Communication

• Historical context of international communication

• Globalization, technology, and mass media

• Communication and cultural imperialism

• Communication flow in global media

• Imbalance in the flow of information between North and South

• McBride Commission and its recommendations

• International communication in the Internet Age

• New social media and its effects on the developing world

IV. Media and Society

• Mass media and social change

• Media as a social system:

  • Balance between interdependence and interrelation

• Media freedom and its role in democracy

• The functional approach to mass media:

  • Four social functions of the media

• Media as an awareness agent

• Mass media and social representation

V. Mass Media in Pakistan

• Media system in Pakistan:

  • Historical review

  • Chronological review

  • Analytical review

• The system of journalism and the media system

• Employer-employee relations in Pakistani media

• Government-press relations

• Press in Pakistan:

  • The newspaper industry

  • From mission to market

• Electronic media:

  • From total dependence to enormous power

• The new 24/7 television:

  • Uses and abuses

• The new radio:

  • Potential for change

  • Present performance

• The question of freedom and responsibility

VI. Development Support Communication

• Theories of development support communication with specific focus on the developing world

• The dominant paradigm of development:

  • Historical perspective

  • Analytical perspective

• The alternative paradigm of development

• “Small is Beautiful”:

  • Community development as a snowball effect

• Globalization vs. localization

• Glocalization

• Social marketing:

  • How to infuse new ideas into a developing population

VII. Public Relations

• Concept of public relations

• Historical development of public relations:

  • From press agentry to modern PR

• Public relations in Pakistan

• Ministry of Information

• Press Information Department (PID)

• Public relations and publicity

• PR as a tool for governance

• Private PR agencies and their structure

• Basic methods of PR:

  • Press release

  • Press note

  • Press conference

• PR ethics

VIII. Media Laws and Ethics

• History of media laws in Pakistan

• Development of media regulations from the British colonial era to independent Pakistan

• Libel and defamation

• Relevant portions of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC)

• PPO and RPPPO

• PEMRA:

  • Establishment

  • Development

  • Operational mechanisms

• Press Council of Pakistan (PCP)

• Citizens Media Commission:

  • Need

  • Present status

  • Reasons for inactivity

• Press Code of Ethics

• Inability of the media to develop a code of ethics as an institution

• The media’s quest for freedom and its inability to self-regulate

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