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Book Review
For media practitioners
HANDBOOK OF JOURNALISM AND MASS COMMUNICATION: Vir Bala Aggarwal and V. S. Gupta; Concept Publishing Company, A/15-16, Commercial Block, Mohan Garden, New Delhi-110059. Rs. 750.
THIS VOLUME, meant for post-graduate degree students of journalism and mass communication, with its storehouse of information will be useful even to general media practitioners.
The academic expertise and teaching experience of the authors stand them in good stead in expounding an exhaustive and competent presentation of the subject. The book has five sections: Mass communication — origin and development, Print media, Electronic media, Media management, Public relations and advertising.
The first presents an overview of various theories, models and media of communication. Development communication, a major force in publicity of national plans and programmes, has always been confronting a host of problems. For instance, the task of disseminating new messages to rural audiences through traditional folk media is stupendous; success depends upon re-orientation of skills to meet the emerging challenges. Evolution of media from oral-symbols-print-electronic stages reflects the innovative genius of people from time to time.
"Humlog" (1984), TV's first ever-successful soap opera, became a trendsetter in promoting societal causes like women's welfare and family planning. However, gradually entertainment started overshadowing educational values in most of these programmes. This trend needs to be curbed.
The second section traces the origin of journalism from pre-Independence days, when press became a potential weapon of freedom movement with celebrated leaders like Gandhiji, Tilak and Gokhale standing at the vanguard of progressive journalism. The post-Independence scenario has undergone a plethora of vicissitudes before emerging as an exemplar of popular voice. Today, Indian Press is qualitatively sophisticated and quantitatively impressive (circulation-wise it occupies third position, next only to Japan and USA).
Press laws like The Official Secrets Act, 1923, The Copyright Act, 1957, Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 et al are discussed for guidance of practising journalists. The next section discusses the genesis and growth of Radio and television, which inform, educate and entertain millions of people. Pandit Nehru's `tryst with destiny' speech at the dawn of Independence and Bapuji's the only one broadcast on AIR in November 1947 stand testimony to the impact of this mass medium. Television has ushered in a new era of "instant information" bringing earth-shaking events to the drawing rooms as and when they happen.
Tele-conference has now become a potential component of instruction and management methodology. However, with global networks manipulating programmes to suit individual agendas, steps should be taken to ensure that publicity does not degenerate into propaganda.
The fourth section elaborates the principles of management including the types of ownership, functions of editorial and advertising departments, as well as production technology of newspapers. Electronic media are not included in the discussion.
The last one goes into different aspects of public relations and advertising, two inter-related but distinct disciplines, which deserve separate in-depth study and analysis. However, definitions, guidelines, elements, functions et al mentioned here complement the information of earlier chapters.
Annexures in section six include guidelines and codes of ethics applicable to journalists and organisations besides a list of institutions offering courses in the subject. The glossary and index are comprehensive and reader friendly.
The authors, with their rich experience, should have added a role model of media planning for the benefit of students. Some peripheral issues like foreign investment in print media do not exactly fit into the framework of the treatise.
The price is high. Despite these minor hiccups, this volume is a valuable addition to the corpus of literature on journalism and mass communication.
P. V. L. N. RAO
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