CSS JOURNALISM & MASS COMMUNICATION SYLLABUS

Journalism & Mass Communication

CSS JOURNALISM & MASS COMMUNICATION SYLLABUS 
Total Marks: 100
Time Allowed: 3 hours

I. Introduction to Mass Communication

• Concept – Definitions, Need/Importance/Purposes, Types of Communication, Process of Communication, Basic Models.
• Functions of a model, Evaluation of a model
• Basic models in Mass Communication:-
  – Lasswell’s Model (1948)
  – Shannon-Weaver model (1948)
  – Osgood’s model (1954)
  – Schramm’s model (1954)
  – Newcomb’s symmetry theory (1953)
  – Westley-McLean’s model (1976)
  – Gerbner model (1956)

II. Mass Communication Theories

• Normative theories of the press: Schramm’s four theories and criticism on these theories
• Media as agents of power
• The Spiral of silence
• Media Usage and gratifications
• Media hegemony
• Diffusion of innovations
• Powerful effects model: hypodermic needle, magic bullet theory.
• Moderate effects model: two-step and multi-step flow of communication.
• Powerful media revisited: Marshal McLuhan’s media determinism

III. Global / International Communication

• The Historical Context of International Communication
• Globalization, technology, and the mass media
• Communication and Cultural imperialism
• Communication Flow in Global Media: Imbalance in the flow of information between North and South
• McBride commission and its recommendations
• International Communication in the Internet Age: the new social media and its effects on developing world

IV. Media and Society

• Mass media and social change
• Media as a social system: The balance between interrelation and interdependence
• Media freedom and its role for democracy,
• The functional approach to mass media: four social functions of the media
• Media as an awareness agent
• Mass media and social representation

V. Mass Media in Pakistan:

• Media system in Pakistan: historical, chronological, and analytical review
• The system of journalism and the media system
• Employer-employee relations in Pakistani media
• Government-press relations
• Press in Pakistan: The newspaper industry, from mission to the market
• Electronic media: from total dependence to enormous power
• The new 24/7 television: uses and abuses
• The new radio: potential for change and the present performance.
• The question of freedom and responsibility

VI. Development Support Communication

• Theories of development support communication with specific focus on the developing world
• The dominant paradigm of development: historical, analytical perspective
• The Alternative paradigm of development
• Small is beautiful: community development as a snowball effect.
• Globalization vs Localization
• Glocalization
• Social Marketing: how to infuse new ideas into a developing population

VII. Public Relations:

• Concept of Public Relations
• Historical development of public relations: from press agentry to PR
• Public relation in Pakistan
• Ministry of information
• Press Information Department (PID)
• Public relations and publicity
• PR as a tool for governance
• Private PR agencies and their structure
• Basic methods of PR: press release, press note, press conference
• PR Ethics

VIII. Media Laws and Ethics:

• History of Media Laws in Pakistan
• Development of media regulations from British colonial era to independent Pakistan
• Libel, Defamation and relevant portions of PPC
• PPO, RPPPO
• PEMRA: establishment, development, and operational mechanisms
• Press Council of Pakistan (PCP)
• Citizens Media Commission: need, present status, and reasons for inactivity
• Press Code of Ethics
• Inability of the media to develop a code of ethics as an institution
• The media’s quest for freedom and its inability to self regulate.

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