Example Of Media In Canada Research Paper

Introduction

Gasher et al (2012) Mass Communication in Canada tries to provide a framework for a deeper understanding of the history and the basic concepts of the rapidly changing and dynamic mass communication field. In details, the authors examine the vast topics of concern that has innumerable social implication on the mass communication industry. Some of the topics tackled include the revolution of music production, recording and sale; the life of print journalism in terms of past, present and future; impact of merging media companies in Canada. Moreover, the book also tries to establish media’s treatment of major events such as elections as well as the ongoing feuds in different nations across the globe. The seventh edition comprehensively cuts across modern trends such as updates on digital media, communication and the digital media. In addition, the authors of the book have added a new topic on policies governing modern communication industry in Canada.
The seventh edition of Mass communication in Canada starts by a recap of the history of mass communication in Canada. Together with the theories and the concepts of the traditional media and mass communication at large, the authors integrate the traditional and the current information on digitization of a number of mass media. The book tries to explore a number of issues and topics of the reader’s interest such as media content, law and policies, culture and politics and audience. Additionally, the book also looks into other issues such as journalism and content production, structure of the media, role of media in effective mass communication, globalization and the impact of media convergence in communication. With a stunning color design and additional chapter on communication policy, the book has been revealed as the best reading tool for effective mass communication in Canada.

New Media in Canada and Mass Communication Policies

Over the past three decades, the world has witnessed rapid technological advancements, be it in the hardware, software or network. Historically, the process of creating, producing, distributing, marketing, preserving and supporting mass communication media have suffered a lot of transformation, leading to a digitized media and society at large. Due to the long time and the ongoing developments in the mass communication industry, a number of positive outcomes have been realized. The cost of both analogue and digital media has greatly stabilized to suit financial reach of a number of people. A number of these advancements were triggered by the socio-economic conditions that have been in existence. This, therefore, puts the existence of some new and emerging media at stake while strongly promoting some (Gasheret al 2012, p. 67).
In Canada, a number of persons who have access to mobile networks and internet have tremendously increased. Although this is happening globally, still there is a divide within Canada, especially in the rural communities and North Canada. Since we’re living in a non-static digital world, the phase of mass communication has undergone a number of developments and is still facing the same. At the moment, a lot of focuses have been focused on the electronic media and some policies that have been created to control its use (Gasheret al 2012, p. 123). Taking an example of the social media, electronic media has successfully managed to bring a lot of transformations in the communication industry. This has been achieved by a number of websites, who over time have strived to serve those who are looking to quench their thirst for knowledge. Interestingly, the social media has also helped in creating a number of awareness on a number of emerging issues (Gasheret al 2012, p. 165).
Emergence of the new media has led to emergence of an inherent characteristic the digital worlds which have significant contribution to the mass communication industry. First, the materials don’t need to be in physical form, but rather in an electronic nature (Gasheret al 2012, p. 197). Therefore, this has swept away the notion that for something to be a media, it must be in a physical form alone. Electronic materials such as photos, books, paintings and video and voice recording can be in electronic form and used as a media still, fulfilling the main purpose of communication. Contrary to the traditional media, the new one can be created and be modified via a number of processes to generate a new media again. This has been achieved in a number of ways, a typical example being in the music and film industry, thanks to emergence of computer graphics. The emergence to the new media has really impacted on the phase of the mass communication. Unlike the traditional artworks which could only be stored in tangible form, occupying a lot of space in the long run, the digital artworks have been reduced electronically to occupy a little space while being accessed over a longer period of time. These have really reduced the maintenance cost of many media, leading to a hike in their sales and spread (Gasheret al 2012, p. 234).
Networking comes into the equation when one interacts with the new media. The electronic nature of the electronic media has allowed its potation from one point to another point via internet and other forms of networks. Networking has successfully achieved interaction of various communication media on a digital platform (Gasheret al 2012, p. 248). Unlike, television and radio where the information moves specifically from a broadcaster to a targeted audience, information on the media can be moved to any point at any time. The new media have also given the users a chance of sharing their insights on a given artwork, by critiquing, recommending, sharing or commenting on the piece of media. With emergence of interconnectivity of the mass media, it has been able to track the receiver of the information (Gasheret al 2012, p. 297).
The emergence of new media has attracted a lot of positivity as well as negativity. These implications have cut across all the platforms, sparing none of the media. Talk about the nation gaining millions in licensing and promoting media content to cybercrime among other mixed outcomes. The government over many years has managed to raise millions of revenue due to licensing as well as sale of some of the media content. It is quite evident that the government taxes and licenses a lot of media companies as well as sites in attempt of controlling their operations (Gasheret al 2012, p. 297). In addition, the government’s burdens of enlightening the public on some issues of concern have been greatly relieved. Most of education and awareness are run in media stations, hence lifting off the burden from the government. However, some of the negative outcomes of emergence of the new media include; moral erosion due to pornography; loss of patent rights of some electronic works due piracy and plagiarism; loss of huge amount of revenue due to easy evasion when running a web based media; and cybercrime which has been on constant increase (Gasheret al 2012, p. 346).

Media and Communication policy

In conclusion, the media fraternity of Canada has gone through a number of historical transformations, some of which have really impacted on the lives of many positively. At the same time these transformations have also led to emergence of destructive habits amongst the media users. All these in the long run have led to development of a number of policies by the Government of Canada to tame the ever-dynamic mass communication industry. Through their book Mass Communication in Canada, Gasheret al (2012) tries to establish some of the facts behind emergence of the new media as well as the government have set of policies that have helped in controlling use of mass media. They have therefore spoken of communication media such as internet as extension of the access to the world by the public.

Reference

Gasher, M., Lorimer, R., & Skinner, D. (2012). Mass communication in Canada. Don Mills, Ont: Oxford University Press. Pp 1-416