BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, Pilani
Pilani Campus
AUGS/ AGSR Division
FIRST SEMESTER 2024-25
COURSE HANDOUT
Date: 01.08.2024
In addition to part I (General Handout for all courses appended to the Time table) this portion gives further
specific details regarding the course.
Course No : GS F223
Course Title : Introduction to Mass Communication
Instructor-in-Charge : GAJENDRA SINGH CHAUHAN
Instructors : Gajendra Singh Chauhan and Swagata Ghosh
1. Course Description: The course would introduce the students to the ever changing dynamics of Mass
Media with its evolutionary and operational details. The course would impart a broad knowledge of the
developments, operations, types and impact of mass media.
2. Scope and Objective of the Course:
• To lay a foundation for students and give them the basis of conceptual and practical skills in the
broad area of mass communication.
• To develop a range of skills that includes research, writing, editing and presentation for news and
strategic communication in print, audio and online.
• To develop an understanding about the working of Mass media at the macro and micro levels by
covering diverse range of Media such as Cinema, Social Media and Digital media.
3. Text Books: Kumar, J. Keval. Mass Communication in India. Fourth Edition. Mumbai: Jaico Publishing
House. (2010).
4. Reference Books:
1.Baran J, Stanley. Introduction to Mass Communication: Media Literacy and Culture. New Delhi: Tata
McGraw Hill Education Pvt Ltd.2010.
2.Bhattacharjee, Shymali. Media and Mass Communication: An Introduction. New Delhi: Kanishka
Publishers, Distributors. 2005.
3.Folkerts, Jean and Stephen Lacy. The Media in Your Life: An introduction to Mass Communication.
Delhi: Pearson Education Pvt. Ltd. 2005.
4. V. S. Nirban and Sushila Rathore "Introduction to Content Design". EDD Notes for the course
BITS C394 Mass Media Content and Design. 2011.
5. Course Plan:
S.No Module Lecture session Reference Learning
outcomes
1
BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, Pilani
Pilani Campus
AUGS/ AGSR Division
1 Introduce the concept of Mass L(1-3)Mass T Section 1 Understanding the
Communication, Communication definition, concept of mass
origin, various media, communication ,its
importance, functions evolution, growth
and the present
scenario
2 Roles of Mass media in Indian L(4-7)Mass T Section 1, Identifying the role
society and the world at large, the communication : Emerging Section 4 and played by different
effect on consumers through social trends 5 media agencies.
and traditional media, mass their impact on the
communication and culture society and its
culture
4 Definition, characteristics of mass L(8-10)Mass Media: T Section2 Enabling the
media, differences between mass Present issues and and 4 students to
communication and mass media, challenges understand
Types of mass media, origin, different media
growth and characteristics, impact their functioning
of mass media though certain case and the concept of
studies. mass audience
5. Audience and media. relation L(11-13)Audience and Lecture notes Making them
between media and society, media media understand the
literacy relationship
between media and
audience and also
the significance of
audience and their
influence on
media’s working
6 Journalism: Background and issues, L(14-17)Roots of T Section2 Acquainting them
History and development, Journalism, with the concept of
Newspapers and Magazines. evaluations and history of journalism and its
press, Types of Journalism operational
complexities in a
democratic country
and also a
comparison with
other countries
7 Writing for media: journalistic L(18-24)Reporting and T Section 2 Developing an
process, components of news, writing for media aptitude for
interpreting the
2
BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, Pilani
Pilani Campus
AUGS/ AGSR Division
reporting skills, feature writing, news, editorials
news analysis features and also
enable them to
write
8 Cinema : history, origin and L(25-30)Electronic media: T Section 2 Making them aware
development, documentary and Enigma of cinema about the recent
short film, cinema and trends as well as the
society, censorship and ethics history of Indian
cinema with
specific reference
to all the major
developments
9 Radio :History, AIR, regional and L(31-33)Radio in India T Section 2 Familiarizing them
national services, broadcasting and with the radio as a
scripting form of mass
medium and its
significance even in
the present scenario
10 Television: origin and L(34-36) Expansion of T Section 2 Helping them
development, impact of television, Television understand
satellite and cable TV, present Television and its
status functioning as an
indispensable
medium with
specific examples
11 Advertising: origin and L(37-38)Advertising T Section 2 Introducing them to
development, advertising agencies, this important and
creativity in advertising, types, attractive field of
importance Advertising and its
changing
parameters
12 Public Relations: evolution, L(39-40)Public Relations T Section 2 Familiarizing them
growth, news conferences, scope, with the concept of
corporate communication, PR Public relations and
professionals as media trainers, its significance in
codes and ethics the present scenario
6. Evaluation Scheme:
Component Duration Weightage Date & Time Nature of component
3
BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, Pilani
Pilani Campus
AUGS/ AGSR Division
200 (Close Book/ Open Book)
Mid-Semester Test 90 Min. 30% Closed book
Comprehensive Examination 3 Hrs. 35% Closed book
Assignments (4) 35% Open book
7. Chamber Consultation Hour: To be announced in the class.
8. Notices: All the information will be provided in the classes and on Nalanda portal.
9. Make-up Policy: Make Up- subject to prior permission.
10. Note (if any): Learning happens if you are present in the class.
Instructor-in-charge
Course No.: GS F223
