About Mass
Communications Careers
A career in Mass Communications can take a person throughout every sector of the market. Communications companies need writers, speakers, actors, designers, technicians and others to bring their message to the world. People working in this field need to get comfortable working with advancing technologies and figuring out persuade people.
History
Mass Communications is a relatively new field. In the 17th and 18th centuries, most communications aimed at groups of people were entirely local, targeted at populations generally under 500 people. In Colonial America, newspapers were communally produced documents posted up on notice boards in front of local taverns. This changed in the late 19th century, as instant communications technology and more advanced printing presses allowed for the creation of mass-manufacture newspapers. In the 20th century, radio, television and the Internet established Mass Communications as an overpowering cultural force.
Significance
The most important aspect of any communication is the content of the message being transmitted. The people that shape this message could be a team of writers, content managers, designers, artists and others. If the message is not compelling, no one pays attention to it. After that part is taken care of, the other aspect is bring that information to a willing market. In most cases, this involves interfacing with some sort of technology or group of technologies. A radio host may be the most noticeable aspect of a show, but that person needs an entire team of technicians, advertising team personnel and support staff to keep his message going.
Features
Mass Communications merely describes the form and not the content of media. The content being transmitted could be fictional, like a situation comedy television show, or based on incoming fresh facts, such as a financial news show reporting on developments in the stock market. Some common skills are needed across media types--camera operators can be competent at filming news footage and entertainment programs--but each different use of Mass Communications does require unique sets of specialized skills.
Benefits
Individuals looking at a career in Mass Communications benefit most from specializing quickly. Communications programs at universities may be good at transmitting basic principles about interacting with mass audiences, but in terms of practical career skills, specialization brings associated benefits. Few people elect to become specialists because it is so risky; for example, someone who works very hard at becoming an actor could either find that they are struggling to find even the most basic work; or, if they focus sufficiently on their craft and in finding work, they may find that they are in hot demand.
Considerations
Mass Communications relies entirely on technology. Humans can't communicate with crowds without the assistance of machines. No matter what position someone seeks in the field, they need to be comfortable working with technology and adapting their approach to their work based on technical advancement and changing market desires. The field is also highly unpredictable. Crowds can become excited about a particular idea or media source and flock around it for years, and then abandon it without warning when a new disruptive idea enters the market.
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