20 Interesting Dissertation Topics In Journalism And Mass Communication

If you are studying media studies, journalism, or even English then you may be required to write a dissertation that is in some way related to journalism and/or mass communication. It is a very interesting topic to study, and has evolved considerably over the past few centuries.

In fact, the way in which mass communication exists in the present day is very different to how was just a few decades ago.

Ultimately, prior to inventions such as the printing press, mass communication didn’t really exist in the same way. In order to announce news to big groups of people, the only options were either very time-consuming or could only reach relatively small groups of people. These days though, particularly with social media, large numbers of people can be informed about events almost the moment that they happen.

With such a wide ranging subject to write about, you have a wide choice of different topics to base your dissertation on. Some of the ideas that you may wish to consider at been listed below.

1. A comparison of social media and traditional media in terms of how people find out about the news
2. How powerful are mass media companies?
3. What role does journalism have in forming and toppling governments?
4. A history of mass communication in the 20th century
5. How does North Korea control mass communication?
6. Should governments interfere in journalism?
7. What regulations should journalists follow?
8. Do newspapers do enough to ensure that journalists abide by ethical codes?
9. How has technology changed the way in which mass communication reaches the public?
10. Is the Internet more important in terms of mass communication than the invention of the printing press?
11. What is the future of newspapers?
12. Will journalism become a largely freelance industry in the near future?
13. Should journalists be able to hide behind confidentiality agreements?
14. How reliable are newspapers as a source of information?
15. How do governments use mass communication to manipulate the public?
16. How important is social media as a tool for mass communication in oppressed societies?
17. How dangerous is misinformation provided by media companies?
18. Is the nightly news relevant?
19. How has rolling news coverage affected the quality of journalism?
20. How important is it to have a degree in journalism for those who want to build a career in newspaper industry?