Step 1: Definition:
'Small screen' is a common term for the television medium, as distinguished from the 'big screen' of cinema.
Step 2: Significance:
As an audio-visual mass medium reaching directly into people's homes, television has become a powerful vehicle for entertainment, information, advertising, and the transmission of culture and values.
Final Answer:
'Small screen' refers to television, a home-based audio-visual mass medium distinct from cinema's 'big screen.'