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Mass Media and Communications – Class 12 Sociology notes, important questions and MCQs

NCERT Class 12 Sociology, chapter 13. Notes, key terms, important questions with answers and MCQs.

Chapter overview

Mass media are means of communication that reach large audiences, such as newspapers, radio, television, cinema and the internet. They are social institutions that shape public opinion, culture and politics. In India, print media grew with the national movement, radio and television were long controlled by the state, and since the 1990s satellite television, private channels, the internet and social media have transformed the media landscape.

Growth of mass media in India

The printing press spread newspapers in the nineteenth century, and newspapers like Kesari and Amrita Bazar Patrika supported nationalism and social reform.
After independence, All India Radio and Doordarshan were state-run and promoted development and national integration; radio reached remote villages.
Since the 1990s, liberalisation brought private satellite channels, FM radio and a boom in regional language newspapers, helped by rising literacy and new printing technology.

Media and society today

Television and the internet have become major sources of news and entertainment; media are increasingly owned by large corporations and depend on advertising revenue.
Concerns include commercialisation, concentration of ownership, sensationalism and the 'paid news' problem; social media also spreads misinformation.
Media can empower people by giving information and voice, as community radio and citizen journalism show; a free press is essential for democracy.

Key terms

Mass media: means of communication reaching large audiences
Public sphere: a space where citizens discuss public matters
Community radio: local radio run by and for a community
Commercialisation: making media profit-driven and dependent on advertising
Citizen journalism: news reporting by ordinary people using digital media

Important questions with answers

What is community radio?2 marks

Community radio is radio broadcasting operated by and for a local community, often in local languages, on issues such as agriculture, health and local news. It gives voice to people who are ignored by mainstream media.

How did mass media change after the 1990s?3 marks

Liberalisation allowed private satellite television channels and FM radio, ending state monopoly; news channels and regional channels multiplied; regional language newspapers grew with literacy and printing technology; later the internet, mobile phones and social media became major sources of news and entertainment.

Discuss the role of mass media in Indian society and the concerns about it.5 marks

Mass media include print media such as newspapers and magazines, electronic media such as radio and television, cinema, and new media such as the internet and social media. In colonial India, newspapers spread nationalist ideas and social reform, creating a public sphere for discussion. After independence, All India Radio and Doordarshan, run by the state, were used for development communication, education, national integration and agricultural information, and radio reached remote rural areas. Since the 1990s, liberalisation and satellite technology led to a boom in private television channels, 24-hour news, entertainment and FM radio, while rising literacy and better printing increased regional language newspapers. The internet, mobile phones and social media have made communication instant and interactive, allowing citizen journalism and new forms of activism. Media shape public opinion, consumption, culture, politics and identities, and a free press acts as a watchdog in democracy. However, there are concerns. Commercialisation makes media dependent on advertising and ratings, leading to sensationalism and neglect of issues of the poor. Ownership is increasingly concentrated in large corporations, reducing diversity of views. Problems such as paid news, fake news and misinformation on social media, and pressures from political and economic interests, threaten credibility. Thus media can both empower and mislead, and responsible journalism and media literacy are important.

Quick revision

Print media and nationalism.
State-run AIR and Doordarshan.
Liberalisation, private channels and regional newspapers.
Commercialisation, ownership and democracy.

Exam tips

Remember the role of newspapers in the national movement.
List two benefits and two concerns about social media.

Practice MCQs

Newspapers, radio and television are examples of
1. folk media
2. mass media
3. personal letters
4. village councils
Show answer
Answer: (b) mass media. They reach large audiences.
India's state-run television broadcaster is
1. All India Radio
2. Doordarshan
3. Press Trust
4. Prasar Bharati Radio only
Show answer
Answer: (b) Doordarshan. It began in 1959.
Local radio run by and for a community is
1. national radio
2. satellite TV
3. community radio
4. cable network
Show answer
Answer: (c) community radio. It gives local voice.
Private satellite television channels expanded in India in the
1. 1950s
2. 1970s
3. 1990s
4. 2010s only
Show answer
Answer: (c) 1990s. Liberalisation opened the sector.
Regional language newspapers grew mainly because of
1. falling literacy
2. rising literacy and new printing technology
3. ban on English papers
4. decline of towns
Show answer
Answer: (b) rising literacy and new printing technology. More readers emerged.
Making media dependent on profit and advertising is
1. censorship
2. nationalisation
3. commercialisation
4. socialisation
Show answer
Answer: (c) commercialisation. It shapes content.
Why is a free press considered essential for democracy
1. it sells advertisements
2. it replaces Parliament
3. it controls elections
4. it informs citizens and holds those in power accountable
Show answer
Answer: (d) it informs citizens and holds those in power accountable. It is a watchdog.
A concern about concentrated media ownership is that it
1. increases diversity
2. makes news free
3. reduces diversity of views and can serve owners' interests
4. ends advertising
Show answer
Answer: (c) reduces diversity of views and can serve owners' interests. Few voices dominate.

All chapters of Class 12 Sociology

Written by Kundali IQ from standard, well-established facts to help with revision. This is not an official NCERT publication; always read your textbook too.