PAPER MASS MEDIA AS DAWAH MEDIA

PAPER
MASS MEDIA AS DAWAH MEDIA




Created by:
Quartin Qonita Q. 20130710037



ISLAMIC COMMUNICATION AND COUNSELLING
                              FACULTY OF ISLAMIC STUDIES
UNIVERSITY OF MUHAMMADIYAH YOGYAKARTA
2014

Table of Contents

Table of Content ... i
Introduction 1
The Function of Mass Media . 2
The Importance of Dawah Implementation ...... 3
Interaction of Mass Media with Religion ..... 4
Dawah Strategy through Mass Media   6
Today Condition of Media in Indonesia . 9
Implementing Dawah Communication Paradigm .. 10
Conclusion 11
References   11






Abstract
This paper aim to know the use of mass media as dawah media in Islamic dawah development and to interpret the condition of media in Indonesia whether according to the function of media or not. This paper also wishes to know how the media do its role for developing Islamic Dawah. This paper furthermore gives an outlook on the Islam Mass Media on constract Dawah communication paradigm.
Introduction
Media has many functions which is useful for the public. One of the functions of media is to give information that is needed by the public. Mass media either printed media or electronic media are needed by people in their life time for getting new information. Now everyone wants to be up date and know in every occurrences because of he/ she want to enrich their knowledge.
As we can see that media development has grown up and most of people can access the information by using any media that they have. Any technologies are getting sophisticated in this modern era. But the question is, is it has accordance with Dawah development itself?
In the middle of technology advance, Muslim should take a look to some things that it needs to concern which is have aim to know deeper how Muslim should utilize and response the advance of technology and media.
The existence of mass media in the middle of Muslim society should be used as seed to grow a variety of business production, distribution, and consumption of mass media services. In this way media is a canal that is used to connect the communicator to the people massively, stay in long distance and heterogonous. The existence of media can be used by the Muslim as media to socialize Islamic values in Muslim society.



The Function of Mass Media
Mass Media has a variety of functions for the public. The media has a role to gather important information and newsworthy. And then the information is disseminated to the public, so mass media is dynamic. There are always new things that can be enjoyed by the public.
The mass media also provide lessons, knowledge or education for the community.
The media became a means of entertainment for the people, the mass media present to provide entertainment for the community, because entertainment is also a needs for the public itself.
In addition, the mass media is also an aspiration to the public and become a tool of control in democratic countries, becoming the fourth pillar of the democratic system, after the Executive, Legislative and Judicial.
According to Denis McQuail (McQuail, 1987: 1), the mass media have function.
Importantly, among others:
1. The media is changing and evolving industry that creates employment, goods and services, as well as other industries turn related.
2. The mass media is a source of strength, control devices, management andinnovation in society that can be used as a substitute for strengthor other resources.
3. Media is the location (forum) are an increasingly important part to showevents of the life of society, both national level and internationally.
4. The media serve as a vehicle for cultural development, not onlyin terms of the development of art forms and symbols, but also inunderstanding the development of procedures, fashion, style and norms.
5. The media have become the dominant source not only for the individual to obtain a description and image of social reality, but also for the community and the group collectively
Another function is mass media as surveillance. This function occurs when mass media informs about information that alarming public such as information about disaster and another apprehensive condition. Interpretation, mass media not only supplies the fact and data but also give interpretation towards important occurrences. Linkage, mass media could unite plural society with the result form linkage based on same importance and interest about a certain thing. Transmission of Values, this function called socialization. Has same meaning with socialization. Entertainment, media provides variety of entertainment that can amuse public with entertaining programs. Information, this function meant media as information disseminator. Education, one of educative way that be done by mass media is through teaching of values, ethics, and norms to the readers or beholders.
So, mass media has main functions that actually people should get their rights. But recently media in Indonesia ignores the function of mass media itself, which is media give priority to entertainment than something that more educative and have values on the information. Media has not been proportional yet on giving information.

The Importance of Dawah Implementation
From the big role of the mass media functions for the public will give a big chance for Muslim to touch Muslim society and even non-Muslim society. Facing the abilities of media to share information, there are some things that can be done: Firstly, Muslim society should have pretension to change dawah paradigm. Dawah is not just a lecture or religious forum which is limited audiences. Properly, media covers a wide activity that gives Islam comprehension for anyone through mass media. Secondly, Muslim should expand the using of dawah media. It begins from electronic media, printed media, until Internet. Through mass media, Muslim will not only have a wide audience but also have a high constancy.
Today, Islamic dawah has entered in new era. We should appreciate the opuses that bring Islamic value in it. Like Opick and Bimbo music, also many religion movies appear, and now many dawah activities emerge in Internet media. Those all have positive and negative side. But we have to appreciate such ways.
Another phenomenon, involvement of mass media on shining Islamic Dawah does not run appropriate with Islam norm because there is another interest that should be done by media. Media is become as a business to obtain a profit. In this case, it is like in Theory of Media Economic Politics.
In Theory of Media Economic Politics interpret that ideology dependence on economic power is more concerned than load of information (content) that will be provide to public.
According to this theory, economic interest is more prioritized than providing information. It is one of form of neglect the mass media function. And it makes public do not get what they need. Media side should be back to the function and give what people need. Media should know what people need.
As now in the middle of our society need the existence of moral and character building. And our society needs to be straightening to the right path. Hence, the implementation of dawah should be done either by media or contemporarily.
 Interaction of Mass Media with Religion
Currently development of Islamic dawah has penetrated communication technology through electronic media. This situation gives good expectation for dawah development itself. Husein Umar describes on his book Dakwah, he writes that Islamic dawah mostly found on Television media. First, when dawn time. In matters pertaining to television, dawn time known as non-prime time. It means at dawn time the number of onlooker is just a little. And probably onlooker who watch dawah program in dawn time is people who want to deep their religion. Second, as a part of entertainment industry, TV programs will abreast actual trend. If the agenda is about religion, the shows are about religion. Third, Image Interest. Dawah program frequently is became a tool to construct an image. As happen in Ramadhan, mass media races show programs that has nuance of Ramadhan. But, after Ramadhan those programs lost (does not appear anymore).
Media activity as criticized above shows there is interaction between mass media and religion. In Television, radio and printed media, theory about determining broadcasting time, placement news volume in Agenda Setting Theory is rise up. Media on giving information should have a certain principal as in Agenda Setting Theory.
Agenda Setting Theory describes a very powerful influence of the media. And it related with the media ability to tell us what issues are important. There are two levels of agenda setting;
The first level refers to the media using objects or issues to influence the people what people should think about.
The second level decides what parts of the subject are important.
But how do media affect the people? The answer is we all consume media. Therefore we all experience the medias agenda setting. The relevance of information to a person and the level of uncertainty determine a persons need for orientation. People with a high need for orientation are more likely to be influenced by the media.
The Conceptual Model of Agenda Setting Theory

From this theory we can learn that media should always know what people think about something important. In dawah context, something important that is meant is dawah values itself. Therefore, media could set dawah agendas for influencing people. And exert dawah strategy through mass media.

Dawah Strategy through Mass Media
Dawah could be done through mass media either printed media or electronic media as TV, newspaper, radio, internet and so on. Through printed media, we can put dawah substance into writings, notes and histories which is published by newspaper, magazine, etc. Also electronic media such as TV, radio, internet media can be put Islamic values into the content of the programs.
Dawah through Electronic Media
Radio Media
Radio is one of effective means for dawah. Moreover radio can be reached by all people. As we see that there are three stratums society observed by the economic background, among others; low class society, middle class society, and high class society. Radio is possessed by all side. Dawah strategy through radio is the effective way because radio is the only media which is the society especially for low class economic use the radio media as a means for getting information. Although besides we know that radio is one of media that the development is left behind than another printed media like Television and Internet, but until now the radio media is the best way to give information which is the information is added by Islamic values on it.
People will get receive the message of dawah and also understand. As we know that the radio programs are less educative and give priority to entertainment world. Hence the message of dawah which is included Islamic values should be added in many programs in any radio stations. So that people not just get something as less important becomes something more important by the message of dawah itself for the sake of amelioration of publics character and moral. So in this case, using dawah through media is not about which the sophisticated one. But it is oriented for object dawah who can reach the media for getting dawah message by radio. Although radio media is not as sophisticated as Television.

Television Media
Second manner is dawah through Television media. As we know that almost all people from low until high class economic society background possessing this tool as their means for getting information, entertainment, knowledge, and education.
Television is one of human need in this modern era. Television is also effective media for any things including for dawah. Television has been needed for people in their daily life. Because it can be watched in all time. And according to Dr. H. M. Nurul Yamin., M.Si., lecturer for Mass Communication in my class, people tend to seize information in an audio-visual manner. Audio-visual is stronger than audio or visual only.
So, dawah trough Television media is a good way to increase the knowledge to public in general way. In this modern era, dawah through Television media is an effective way. We can see the success of dawah missionaries through Television media.
In another hand, media Television can shows program that have Islamic substance like in the series movies. As we see series movies shows like Tukang Bubur Naik Haji, Emak Ijah Pengen ke Mekkah and others. Those series movies are favourited by many people from many ages.
Internet Media
Internet is the large system of connected computers around the world. Internet media is used by many people today in all ages. The advance of technology produces many sophisticated things like gadget for communication. Currently many gadgets like Laptop, Notebook, and Tablet until Smartphone which is infatuated by many people. From those gadgets we will access Internet to get something that we need. Internet contains all things such as picture, sound or music, writing and video.
By the internet we can share the dawah message through publish or post our writings that it contains dawah values to our website or social media like facebook, Twitter and other. Also now we know many applications as in Tablet or Smartphone, there are applications that is chat applications like Whats App, Line, Black Berry Messenger, and so on. We can share our dawah message trough those applications.
Besides, now anyone can upload videos to YouTube or social media that it can be watched by everyone who access the Internet. We can upload video that contains dawah substance and share it to everyone in the world.
The advance technology facilitates us to get anything easier including dawah message. So in this era, dawah can be done in many ways. And not only dawah missionaries called ustadz who can do dawah but now everyone can also do dawah through the media.
Dawah through Printed Media
Newspaper
Dawah through newspaper is an effective way. All classes can buy newspaper. Compared with another media such TV, Internet media and radio, newspaper is the cheapest media. Different with another media, newspaper can be brought wherever and whenever we go. But it depends on societys reading interest level. If many people do not have interest to read, the existence of newspaper means nothing. Because newspaper is visual media which is the content should be read. Something that just in visual is lower than an audio-visual.
Magazine
Equal with newspaper, dawah message can publish Islamic content. And all classes can buy it. But it has blind side namely magazine is a visual media. It lowers than an audio-visual like Television media.

Today Condition of Indonesian Media
As we know that mass media has function as media information, entertainment and education, also as social control. This theory has been so grown on especially in journalism realm.
On those three interests so hard for press consumer desiderate information from mass media that is not independent.
Media Indonesia today gives priority to less educative programs. It is alarming for the message receiver especially toddlers. Currently many parents permit their kids to waste time to watch Television or even access the Internet without give surveillance. As we know media is so influence for anyone who uses it especially for kids. Any information that received by media should be filtered.
The condition of media today gives priority to something which is not or less important for public. Media frequently gives information in any programs that less educative. If we find out what the cause, we will find the problem. And the problem is media today tends to have orientation on profit of media business (showbiz).
Whereas if we can use media properly, we can use it as dawah means which we shows Islamic content on any programs. It will be useful. But we see the phenomenon in our Television media. Many dawah missionaries on some program shows are favourited by many people but they do like the programs not from the substance of Islamic values itself but they like the figure of the dawah missionaries by the joking. As the specimen is Ustadz Maulana who brings dawah TV program on Islam Itu Indah. From the TV side seeks for dawah missionaries who able to entertain people through their joking. What the sake for? Just for the sake of obtain high rating of TV shows in order from the Television side get profit.
It is so useless and misuses the function of mass media itself. Actually the function of media is oriented to give information. But we see the phenomenon, media is oriented for profit. And media is used as business means.

Implementing Dawah Communication Paradigm
The expansion of dawah media exerted to reach wide society through mass media need upgrading the quality and the quantity. In a wide society, we can not to make an Islamic mass media and expect the media could be effective to give big influence to public. As we know that Islamic mass media always defeated in competition with another mass media that it performs in general way. It means that mass media which performs with Islamic substance has a little sum of reader or beholder.
This case is about inclination of society itself. People choose a media because they feel what they need is fulfilled by the media. High class media is media that can read what people need. But Islamic mass media tends to supply certain thing. This situation is not a fault but we need to repair the communication system. We can see some developing Islamic TV as AdiTv, Rodja Tv and others still have low interested person. We have to change the media communication system without ignore the function of mass media and also do not ignore the Islamic values.





Conclusion
The existence of mass media should be exerted wisely. Mass media has function which is on perform its order should be appropriate with the function. As information provider, media is so useful for Islamic dawah development.
From the media side should repair the media communication system in order to make a change to a better media which is media can be exerted as dawah means. Using mass media properly and implementing Islamic media as good as possible for the sake of can reach Islam mission on constructing good moral in societys behaviour.


References
Elvinaro, Ardianto and Komala, Lukiati. Komunikasi Massa Suatu Pengantar. Bandung: Rosdakarya, 2004
Denis McQuail. McQuails Mass Communication Theory. (SAGE: London), 1987
Dian Mursyidah, Membangun Komunikasi Dakwah Melalui Media Massa. Journal (July: 2010)
http://www.utwente.nl/cw/theorieenoverzicht/Theory%20clusters/Mass%20Media/Agenda-Setting_Theory/
Journal Article  The Agenda-Setting Role of the Mass Media in the Shaping of Public Opinion. Maxwell McCombs. University of Texas. Austin: 2007