Functions of Mass Communication for Society

  1. Surveillance: the news and information role of the media*. The media as sentinels and lookouts. On any given day, about 60 million Americans are exposed to mass- communicated news
  2. Beware surveillance: when the news/information media warn the public about something. i.e. weather alerts, terrorism warnings, global warming, production information
  3. Instrumental surveillance: information that is useful in an everyday manner. e.g. stock prices, movie listings, “lifestyle” articles