In recent years, I've been hearing people telling me "why are you studying mass com?", "can you get a good job with it?", "oh... you want to be famous is it?"
So in order to clear the stereotypes, I want to provide a fresh perspective on this course through this article.
Definition of Mass Communication:
To start with, let's find out the definition of "mass communication" first. The word "mass" means a lot, and on a large scale. Whereas the word "communication" involves a sender who sends content to an audience from a social context. Therefore, "mass communication" means communication on a larger scale by using different mediums, such as the telephone, television, radio, and so on ((1) (PDF) Mass Communication: Some Redefinitional Notes, 2021).
Areas of Mass Communication:
In terms of what elements are part of mass communication, old media, like television, radio, and newspapers are part of it. The reason being is that these three mediums send out messages on a large scale. However, now that technology is improving, cell phones and social media are part of it as well (Introduction to Mass Communication Study Material for Students Introduction to Mass Communication, n.d.).
Subjects in Mass Comm Degree:
Now that you know that mass comm is sending out different messages and ideas to the world. Let's see what can you learn by taking up this course.
Journalism
Public Relations
Film
Advertising
Broadcasting
Media and Society
Advertisement Designing
and so on
Source: (Easyuni.my, 2020)
Industries to work at:
News: journalist, reporter, news broadcaster, editor
Media: producer, director, photographer, editor, media consultant, social media manager
Broadcasting: radio host, emcee, content manager, content director
Sales: human resource, public relations, advertisement
and the list goes on...
Source: (Scholarship Positions 2021 2022, 2013)
Notable People: in Malaysia:
JinnyBoy, Reuben Kang, Lizz Chloe, Pei Yong...
Salary:
k, now most of the time, I hear some people asking me if I can earn good money with this degree or not. I get it, we're Asians, and having a good salary brings honour to the family. So here you go.
Based on the chart, it seems that the average salary for someone with a mass comm degree ranges from RM6k-RM137k.
Therefore, it doesn't seem like you'll be poor for the rest of your life right?
Source: (Payscale.com, 2021)
Who can study Mass Comm?
If you're in Malaysia, you would have to complete your SPM first with a minimum of 3 credits (including BM and Sejarah) for a diploma. For degree level, you would need to complete a foundation program like Foundation in Arts, A-levels etc before proceeding to a degree level.
Qualities wise, you need to have:
Good command of language, because you have to do a lot of writing and talking because you're communicating with different people.
Strong will to work irregular hours. To be a radio DJ like JinnyBoy or a reporter who travels around the world, you need to be able to work when everyone's resting just so that you can spread the news when the world is awake. For example, you might have to wake up early to cover a news story at 3am in the morning.
Versatile in different situations. The media industry is always changing, and you have to be constantly creative and learning new things to stay in the game.
Source: (https://www.facebook.com/EduAdvisor.my, 2015)
Personal Experience:
When I entered my second semester of Foundation in Arts (FIA), we were given three electives to choose from. Mass com, economics, and psychology. Obviously I chose mass com, because that's what I'm doing for my degree now.
Before taking up this course, I thought I was going to learn how to edit videos, produce films, becoming a better communicator, and so on. However, now that I'm actually studying it, I realize that there's so much more than just being on the set or on screen. I had to learn about legal systems in Malaysia, what are the things that I can't write in newspapers, how to create impactful content, and as well as some theories.
I started my degree during the quarantine period in Malaysia 2020, so I might have missed out on some interesting things. But, nevertheless, I still enjoyed it very much, as I was given an opportunity to improve my English and watch different films during film class where I learned about different cultures and histories.
Overall, I would rate my degree experience a 4.3/5 because I learned things that I didn't know were related to the mass com field, and also because of online studying.
I am currently a PR officer for the mass communication society in my university, and I would recommend this course for people who enjoy organizing events, talking, designing, and using social media, as these are my major responsibilities in the club.
Sources:
(1) (PDF) Mass Communication: Some Redefinitional Notes. (2021). ResearchGate. [online] Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318874024_Mass_Communication_Some_Redefinitional_Notes [Accessed 26 Feb. 2021].
Easyuni.my. (2020). Mass Communication & Media in Malaysia. [online] Available at: https://www.easyuni.my/en/malaysia-mass-communication-and-media/ [Accessed 26 Feb. 2021].
https://www.facebook.com/EduAdvisor.my (2015). Mass Communication Course in Malaysia | EduAdvisor. [online] EduAdvisor. Available at: https://eduadvisor.my/mass-communication/ [Accessed 26 Feb. 2021].
Introduction to Mass Communication Study Material for Students Introduction to Mass Communication. (n.d.). [online] . Available at: http://lcwu.edu.pk/ocd/cfiles/Pakistan%20Studies/Maj/Pak-St-402/102_-_Introduction_to_Mass_communication__1_BasicofMasscomm.pdf.
Payscale.com. (2021). Bachelor of Arts (BA), Mass Communication Salary in Malaysia | PayScale. [online] Available at: https://www.payscale.com/research/MY/Degree=Bachelor_of_Arts_(BA)%2C_Mass_Communication/Salary [Accessed 26 Feb. 2021].
Scholarship Positions 2021 2022. (2013). Career in Mass Communication and Media. [online] Available at: https://scholarship-positions.com/career-in-mass-communication-and-media-offers-diverse-and-fruitful-prospects/2013/08/06/#:~:text=Mass%20Communication%20is%20a%20fast%2Dgrowing%20field%20with%20ample%20job,organizations%20and%20many%20other%20sectors. [Accessed 26 Feb. 2021].
Mandarin version: https://keheun.wixsite.com/my-site/post/%E5%BF%B5%E5%A4%A7%E4%BC%97%E4%BC%A0%E6%92%AD%E4%BC%9A%E6%8B%A5%E6%9C%89%E5%A5%BD%E5%89%8D%E9%80%94%E5%90%97%EF%BC%9F
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