Communicating messages through the mass media

As you have discussed it in your health education sessions, mass media communication is a means of transmitting messages (nutritional information) and facts to a large audience relatively at low cos. It is the best methods for the rapid spread of simple information and facts to a large population. However, the major concerns with this method of communication are availability, accessibility and popularity in a given community.

The commonly used mass media are microphones or public address system, radio, television, cinema, newsprints, posters, exhibitions. Mass media includes broadcast media (radio and television) as well as print media (newspapers, books, leaflets and posters).

Advantages:

• Reach many people quickly.
• They are believable especially when the source is a credible one.

Limitations:

• One sided (linear).
• Doesn't differentiate the target.