Wednesday, February 3, 2010

WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF ICT IN MASS COMMUNICATION?

To deny the fact that Information and Communications Technology is not only important but crucial in Mass Communication is an understatement. In this post- modern world today, to live without knowledge of ICT is like having a pen in your hand without knowing what to do with it. Our world has become a global village without necessarily destroying our various cultures. Like the Radio and Television before it, the Computer has eventually become a home appliance that many people look at as an indispensable medium of communication. The purpose of this essay is to discuss the importance of ICT in Mass Communication. Let us begin with the definition of the terms.
Mass communication is the term used to describe the academic study of the various means by which individuals and entities relay information through mass media to large segments of the population at the same time. It is usually understood to relate to News paper and Magazine Publishing, Radio, Television, and Film as these are used both for disseminating news and for advertising.
Mass communication research includes media institutions and processes such as diffusion of information, and media effects such as persuasion or manipulation of public opinion. In the United States, for instance, several university journalism departments evolved into schools or colleges of mass communication or "journalism and mass communication". In addition to studying practical skills of journalism, public relations or advertising, they offer programs on "mass communication" or "mass communication research.
Information and Communications Technology or (ICT) on the other hand, is an umbrella term that includes all technologies for the manipulation and communication of information. The term is sometimes used in preference to Information Technology (IT), particularly in two communities: education and government. In the common usage it is often assumed that ICT is synonymous with IT; ICT in fact encompasses any medium to record information (magnetic disk/tape, optical disks (CD/DVD), flash memory etc. and arguably also paper records); technology for broadcasting information - radio, television; and technology for communicating through voice and sound or images - microphone, camera, loudspeaker, telephone to cellular phones. It includes the wide variety of computing hardware (PCs, servers, mainframes, networked storage), the rapidly developing personal hardware market comprising mobile phones, personal devices, MP3 players, and much more; the full gamut of application software from the smallest home-developed spreadsheet to the largest enterprise packages and online software services; and the hardware and software needed to operate networks for transmission of information, again ranging from a home network to the largest global private networks operated by major commercial enterprises and, of course, the Internet.


IMPORTANCE OF ICT IN MASS COMMUNICATION
One of the importance of ICT is that it has helped in the technological development of Mass Communication. With the increased role of the Internet in delivering news and information, mass communication studies and media organizations tend to focus on the convergence of, publishing, broadcasting and digital communication. The internet was created to provide easy access to much needed information, education and entertainment online. It provides less expensive option to these sources, because people can easily download an entire musical album from a website and use at a much lower fee. Also, introduction of this new technology has not only enhanced Mass Communication but also challenges the traditional concept of Mass Communication where according to the old definition, the source of Mass Communication message was defined as a large organization whose message is sent to a large heterogeneous scattered audience.
A case in point is electronic commerce on the internet which helps advertising agencies to advertise the products and services of their clients on the website which can easily be accessed by customers. Consumers are also able to shop on line at the comfort of their homes and offices which makes shopping easy.
Secondly, information technology has impacted positively on Advertising Agencies to increase productivity since they could easily access information on the customers of their clients through research on the internet, develop their advertisement and print hard copies of it, irrespective of the size of the copy. Likewise, public relations practitioners are able to easily analyse data collected from research on the internet and other sources and make it available to management.
Furthermore, media houses have also enhanced their performance with the use of information technology. They are able to gather more needed information and feed their audiences with current news and information through their website and other electronic media. They are also able to use the media to solicit views from their audiences on various issues. Similarly, press houses are able to plan the pages of their News papers and easily print the hard copies using this technology.
More so, the internet offers businesses information on the local and foreign stock market and the opportunity to trade their stocks. Financial institutions also make use of the information on the financial market to take decision. Government also uses information technology especially the internet to reach most of its publics. This helps to disseminate information on government policies and programmes. Political parties also make use of the internet and other electronic media to disseminate information on their selected candidates, party policies and programmes.
In spite of these benefits of ICT in Mass Communication, there are bad sides to it. The introduction of ICT, has rendered most communicators unemployed since their jobs can easily be done without them. Also, the inability to censor information on the internet or control certain information from reaching some vulnerable group of people in the society is a major concern to many people.
In conclusion, it can be realized that the development of Information and Communication Technology has impacted more positively on Mass Communication than negatively and so ICT plays an important role in Mass Communication.

IN VIEW OF PREVAILING MEDIA PLURALISM AND DIMINISHING POWERS OF THE INFORMATION MINISTRY, SUGGEST WAYS OF RE- EMPOWERING THE MINISTRY TO BE MORE PROAC

Maintaining media pluralism is an essential condition for preserving the right to information and freedom of expression that underpins the democratic process. Media pluralism seems to pose a great challenge to the activities of the Ministry of Information especially in its management of government and public information. In the face of media pluralism, is the Ministry of Information necessary at all? This essay seeks to bring to the fore what can be done to make the Ministry of Information more proactive in its management of government and public information in the face of media pluralism. Let us begin with the definition of terms.
Media pluralism explained
In the three-step approach, the notion of media pluralism is much broader than media ownership; it covers access to varied information so citizens can form opinions without being influenced by one dominant source. Citizens also need transparent mechanisms that guarantee that the media are seen as genuinely independent. The analytical framework will contain three types of indicators:
• a first set of indicators will measure (the presence and effectiveness of) policies and legal instruments that support pluralism in Member States;
• a second set of indicators will measure the range of media available to citizens in different Member States and serve to define different types of media markets from an end-user perspective and in the light of socio-demographic factors;
• a third set of indicators will assess the range and diversity of media looking at the supply side and economic performance of the media (such as the number of media companies, concentration and profitability ratios, etc.).

To begin with, that media pluralism is essential to democracy cannot be over-emphasized. A vibrant democracy needs an independent and pluralistic media. Here, independent means media independent from governmental, political or economic control or from control of materials and infrastructure essential for the production and dissemination of media products and programmes. By a pluralistic media, we mean the end of monopolies of any kind and the existence of the greatest possible number of newspapers, periodicals and broadcasting stations reflecting the widest possible range of opinion within the community. In both cases the media should have the necessary investigative capacity to ensure its functions. They should have trained professionals and the facilities to gather and analyze information. Similarly they should have infrastructure and organizational capacity to sustain an economically viable media operation. If media is not supported to increase their investigative capacity, all the expectations about good governance, transparency and efficiency of service deliveries will be unmet. Whatever development investment the UN agencies and other donors make, desired results are less likely to be achieved unless there are sufficient media structures that could scrutinize and evaluate development programme implementation and feed forward the beneficiary concerns. International cooperation to promote free and pluralistic media therefore should become part and parcel of development assistance.

However, access to media channels and messages depends not only on the existence of channels, but also on their effective distribution, accessibility and affordability. Most media operations are normally concentrated in major cities and cover very few issues related to rural and underprivileged people .The recent survey "Who Makes the News" conducted by Manila-based Centre for Media Freedom reveals that nearly 80 percent of the news in national media outlets is focused on capital cities. Out of 1,393 new reports analyzed in this survey, only 285 featured issues outside of the capital city. Diversity or pluralism has become more and more part of how human communities live. And yet, according to this survey, national news media have lagged behind in the projection and reflection of this diversity. Therefore, pluralism in news and information sources is a crucial issue that needs attention and support.

Media pluralism is incomplete unless adequate structures to facilitate community voices at the grassroots level are assured. This is where community radio stations can provide the necessary support to the Ministry of Information. Some illustrations of this importance can be found in the way and manner in which for instance radio stations like Peace FM, Happy FM, Joy FM, Asempa FM, among others have created the fora where people can follow the budget allocations and discussions of their local council members because the local community radio broadcasts the Council meetings live on air. Others have been instrumental in mobilizing support for free and fair elections to the local governing bodies especially in the last election in 2008. There are many similar examples where community radio has contributed to transparent administration, created a better understanding of people’s needs and aspirations, voicing their concerns, demanding accountability and eventually building meaningful partnerships between development agencies and communities.
In the same manner, the Ministry of Information has been supporting and encouraging a number of Public Service Broadcasters to offer better public services like the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation. We believe that public service broadcasters can contribute much to develop informed democracies in our own country. For instance, live parliamentary broadcasts by public service broadcasters can provide an opportunity for the constituents to appraise the conduct of their elected representatives. There is no doubt that such constant appraisal by electors is essential to develop effective, transparent and accountable representation in democratic governance at the national level.
In July 1998, the then Minister of Information interviewed regional directors and other professional staff at six of the stations. These informants described their stations' missions as mobilizing the public to solve their own problems; serving as a forum for discussion of local public affairs; offering entertainment in the language or languages of the area; and transmitting government information. These objectives closely follow the guidelines for improving the country's capacity to undertake developmental activities set out in the government's development plan, Vision 2020, which includes:
1. establishing free-flowing information systems in support of community initiative, innovation and private entrepreneurship
2. integrating public participation into the development and development planning process
3. raising the awareness of the population to the economic potentials of cultural practices and traditional festivities for community and national development
4. Promoting the development and use of Ghanaian languages and the Ghanaian cultural heritage in educational institutions. (Republic of Ghana, 1995, p. 81).
Therefore Ministry of Information must accept the fact that media pluralism is not a threat but an engine of growth as far as the dissemination of information is concerned and this can be achieved only through support to create a pluralistic media structure in which public, private and community media performs mutually exclusive and complementary functions.
It must be emphasized that the Ministry of Information has existed under its mission to play the key role of communicating government development policies and programmes to the people. No matter how impressive the development policies or programmes might be, it is imperative for government and its development partners to “carry along” with them the target beneficiaries and all other stake holders of the programmes. It is against this background that media pluralism is not only important but crucial in the development of any nation.
Furthermore, with the liberalization of the airwaves and print media, private radio stations and newspapers, which are situated in urban communities, have become rather choosy in message development, serving various political and commercialized interests. This is where the Ministry of Information must play a leading role in communicating government agenda to the rural communities where the air waves and print media, private radio stations and newspaper. To enable the Ministry of Information play the role of lead communicator for government, it has identified the need to develop a coherent outreach strategy for urgent implementation. Thus the formation of the Information Services Department (ISD) by the Ministry of Information is meant to serve as the Ministry’s main public information and outreach arm. It is thus mandated to create awareness of government policies, programs and activities; to promote Ghana’s international marketing agenda; provide public relations support to government ministries, departments, agencies and Ghana’s missions abroad; get feedback from the public to government for policy reinforcement or redirection.
However, it is sad to say that the Information Services Department of the Ministry of Information has been relegated to the background. This is as a result of the liberalization of the media resulting in the insulation of the media from government control and severe competition from private media houses. This problem has ended up creating a yawning gap and missing link in government’s outreach to people, especially in the rural areas where the department’s presence and impact were most felt.
The “Meet The Press” organized by the Ministry of Information is another way the Ministry has sold and continues to sell Government policies and plans to the populace. Again, this programme is only concentrated in the urban centres. More so, the programme is only in the English language. Therefore, in the advent of media pluralism, the Ministry of Information must employ the services of all the media houses especially the radio stations to disseminate government policies and programmes to the rural areas. Media houses like Peace FM, Happy FM, Asempa FM and the like always use the local languages to disseminate information. A case in point is the recent hullabaloo about the earth quake on the 18th of January, 2010. The Ministry of Information was overwhelmed by how the radio stations could disseminate this information so fast that the entire nation was living in fear. That is how fast media pluralism has come even though its report was false. The Ministry of Information can tap this zeal of the media houses to spread correct information to the entire populace.
In the case of the print media, the Ministry of Information can be more proactive in its management of government and public information when it regulates its activities especially those that prove inimical to public consumption. For instance, on our news vendors one will notice the kind of pornographic pictures that are displayed with impunity. Nobody cares about who is watching or not. Who regulates the activities of these media houses? In my ardent opinion, the Ministry of Information has the responsibility of monitoring what should be allowed for public consumption.
CONCLUSION

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Media pluralism and freedom of expression promote transparency in developing countries
An interview with Wijayananda Jayaweera, Director, UNESCO's IPDC
boncha@mweb.co.zw
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