Describe the role of technology in mass communication.

In olden days messages were communicated by personal contact, beating of drums and shouting into a megaphone or through traditional media like folk dramas, folk songs, puppetry and even the village Panchayat served as a means of communication. Now with the technological advances newer and faster methods have been innovated. The transmission to remote parts of the country is done through the satellite. This is why national events like the Independence Day and Republic Day celebrations can be viewed all over.

Satellite transmission has symbolized a revolution in communication technology. It has enabled man to conquer distance in that we can make long distance calls to other countries. An other saving factor is time. With the latest telefax system one can telex an entire letter in a short:time to different countries.

The ‘Fax’ is another example.

In 1978, the Government of India launched its own programme of multipurpose satellites to expand the communication network. These were INSAT-IA in 1982, INSAT-IB in 1983 and INSAT-IC in 1988. These satellites help us in determining our daily weather report. The computer is another important aspect in communication technology. Information can be stored and made accessible to a large section of the population. Its use in offices for filing and indexing as well as hospitals is already popular. It fact, the home computers also are gaining mass appeal as they serve the dual purpose of educating as well as entertaining.