Review three funtions of mass communication as discussed in the text. Do you agree?

The first function mentioned is the surveillance function of mass communications.  It states that communication serves to communicate what is happening in the world.  This can be the weather, traffic, and news reports.  The communication is informing the audience.  I totally agree that people want to be informed and want to snoop.  In fact that is why social media is so popular.

The second function I agree with is the entertainment and play function.  This is when the primary function of the communication is to entertain.  This is the soul of advertising on television.  Advertisers pay for the most for programming that is entertaining, and therefore gets the largest audience.

I disagree with the mobilization function of the media.  I do not believe that it destroys subcultures and creates a society of easily manipulate zombies.  This is a gross over simplification of mass communications.  Even though we choose communication over other activities at times, we receive and process that information differently.  It’s almost a joke that to believe that individuals are so easily brainwashed, it’s not only offensive but insulting to think we are so easily fooled.