Multi-Media Health Communication: Types of Mass Media and Their Advantages and Disadvantages

This report discusses the use of mass media to promote public health, specifically focusing on the advantages and disadvantages of different types of mass media such as television, social media, films, books, and magazines. It also explores how these media can be used to educate people about health issues.

Multi-Media Health Communication

TABLE OF CONTENT
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Types of mass media and their advantage & disadvantage:........................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION
Health issues are one of the most common issues of this world, people are not very
concern with their nutrition life. Some health issues are very common such as overweight and
obesity, some people face serious problem regarding overweight. This may be the most common
health issue but overweighting leads to various others disease and even loss of life. Many mass
media communication is been used to promote the public health. In this report we will discuss
health issue and find out the five mass media communication which can be used to educated
people about the health.
MAIN BODY
Types of mass media and their advantage & disadvantage:
Mass media simple means using media tools and technology to reach or convey the
message to mass set of audience. Mass media is also known as primary or first means of
communication, this help the conveyor to convey the message to public on general topic or issue.
Media have the most powerful impact on the people, each and every person stay in contact with
some kind of mass media such as news media, print media, digital media and social media (Bala,
Strzeszynski and Topor‐Madry, 2017). In all type of mass media, social media is the most
powerful and have the greatest impact on the public. There are some of the most common and
used means of mass media such as:
Media Advantages Disadvantage
Television: television is one of
eldest and common mass
media which is been used
since the social media was
even discovered (Gollust,
Fowler and Niederdeppe,
2019). Television is broadcast
type of mass media which help
message to reach as many
Advantage: television is best
in terms of reaching people,
everyone uses television for a
entertainment purpose. People
from every age group use
television once in a day, this
mass media help people to get
aware about various health
issue, this platform is very
Disadvantage: disadvantage of
Television mass media is
addiction, many children face
eye related problem which is
caused by over watching
television too much.
Disadvantage in health issues
is, sometimes many campaigns
become very controversial and

people as possible. In today's
world, television is been
completely changed, there are
more digitally advance
television which provide better
experience. There are certain
advantage and disadvantage of
television such as:
beneficial for promoting
various serious health issue, by
using them many NGO raise
funds. Television help many
organizations to promote
health issue by creating
various attractive
advertisement campaign
(Sterin and Winston, 2017).
Some company who
manufacture healthy products,
use overweight health issues
on their campaign to attract
people who are facing health
problems.
offensive which need to
serious problem. Many
company by mistake or
intensionally use offensive
health issue words which hurt
the sentiment of the person and
can even lead to various
problem for the company.

Social media: social media is
one of the most mass media,
which can be used to spread
awareness about health and
safety of the people, many
social campaign are been run
to increase the food safety
awareness and reaching people
and educating them to become
more health conscious (Hersh
and Goldenberg, 2016.).
Although social media have
the powerful impact on the
lifestyle of the people and
made them self-aware about
their health and fitness.
Advantage: the advantage of
the social media mass
communication is, people
mainly youth stay active on
these platform. Social media is
been used by everyone and
most of the people find various
health related answer on these
platform. A mass number of
people can be found on social
media which can be influence
by marketing campaign.
Disadvantage: social media
also have certain disadvantage
which disturb the life and
mentality of an individual.
Many people find offensive
content on social media which
leads to serious mental issue
and personal issue. Social
media is a vast platform which
even can be used in various
unethical practices, some
people even share those
images which can very
offensive for children who
tend to use social media.
Films: films can be a mass
media because this impact the
large number of people at
once, many health related issue
are been discussed in the film
which leads to educate people.
Some films are been made on
various health issues such as
for overweighting or heart
related. These films provide a
powerful impact on the
viewers and educate mass
number of people.
Advantages: films are been
designed to reach as many
people as possible, people find
educating content on films.
Some people try to understand
the film carefully. Many films
promote the healthy lifestyle
of a person, this help them to
improve themselves in their
life. Some people admire their
favourite actors and these
actors themselves promote
various health and fitness tips
and tricks.
Disadvantage: films
encourage people to perform
certain stunts which leads to
serious injuries and even
death, meaning of the films
can be used for some other
purpose to encourage violence
in the country. Some films
actors try to promote various
unethical activities such as
alcohol and drugs which leads
to serious problem to the
person who admire these actor
the most.

Books and magazine:
magazine and books is a kind
of mass media which promote
reading and healthy habit of an
individual. Many book readers
educate themselves by reading
various books on health and
lifestyle (Walker, 2019). There
are verity of books that
promote the health and help
solve the heath related
problems of an individual.
There are certain books and
magazine that help people in
health and medical assistance,
many booklets are been
distributed to educate people
about health and fitness.
Advantages: books and
magazines are the best method
to educate people, this mass
media can be used in spreading
the awareness and increase the
betterment of the public life
health.
Disadvantage: some of the
disadvantage of books and
magazine are intensive or
overuse of these books which
leads to eye problem and back
problem. A person should read
books and magazine with
proper manner without
harming their physical body.
CONCLUSION
In this report we have discussed health issue and use of mass media to aware the people
about health issue. Mass media are one of the most powerful tool in the world, this mass media
include television, social media, films, books and magazine. In this report we have understood
the various types of mass media and understand various advantage and disadvantage.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Bala, M.M., Strzeszynski, L. and Topor‐Madry, R., 2017. Mass media interventions for smoking
cessation in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (11).
Gollust, S.E., Fowler, E.F. and Niederdeppe, J., 2019. Television news coverage of public health
issues and implications for public health policy and practice. Annual Review of Public
Health, 40, pp.167-185.
Hersh, E.D. and Goldenberg, M.N., 2016. Democratic and Republican physicians provide
different care on politicized health issues. Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences, 113(42), pp.11811-11816.
Sterin, J.C. and Winston, T., 2017. Mass media revolution. Routledge.
Walker, J.A., 2019. Art in the age of mass media. Routledge.
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