Kierstin Goodman

 Communication Theories in New Media Kierstin Goodman Department of Communication, Southern New Hampshire University COMM 500: Communication Media & Society Dr. Matthew Charles October 11, 2020 Communication Theories in New Media The study of communication theories is difficult because they are just hypotheses that require trial and error to deem them valid theories. These theories, however, are an important part of mass communications as the messages created for mass media are meant to be viewed by the masses. Different cultures, genders, and identities will cause different audiences to react and interpret these messages in different ways. This paper will take a look at different communication theories and how they play an important role in mass communications. Since the arrival of the printing press in 1638 America (Baran 2013), mass media and communication has been a growing topic that has continued to change with the invention of technology. While technology changes the way audiences receive information, there are many theories about the way this information is interpreted that creators of this media must take into account in order for their message to be received properly. In 1948, Harold Lasswell described communication as a series of questions (Baran, 2013). In his model, a message is sent through media to receivers to produce an effect (Baran, 2013). As technology has advanced, many other scholars have further interpreted and changed this basic level of communication, noting that people’s opinions, culture, and upbringing make them interpret the message in different ways than the source may have meant for them to. After this realization, it is clear that feedback from the audience is also a part of the message. Contemporary communication efforts utilize the basic communication theories and concepts more readily than traditional communication efforts. “More recent media effects theories acknowledge that media messages do have an effect on the receivers however those receivers even have some agency to reject or reinterpret the message” (Sana, 2015) With real-time feedback available for the audience on contemporary communications such as social media networks or webpages, the basic level of communication evolves from a one-way communication of information into a 2-way model. However, the 2-way street is an example of a two-step flow theory pushing the media into the forefront as opinion leaders. The media is given the information to share; they interpret the message, and share it with their values, opinions, and beliefs for all of social media to read. This perspective also reinforces the Mass Society Theory because the media is also considered the social elite and therefore, anyone below them is defenseless against their influence. All the theories of communication currently recognized outline the audience and how the message can be interpreted in many different ways. While some theories believe that the audience can be defenseless against the media’s message, others believe that relationships, socialization, and differences among the audience can cause the message to become influenced in ways not originally intended by the message maker. In the book, Human Communication Theory Research: Concepts, Contexts, and Challenges, authors Robert L. Heath and Jennings Bryant outline what a communication theory does: “It defines the key concepts and explains systematically and rationally the relationships among variables basic to communication behaviors, outcomes, and cognitive processes. A good theory can guide additional speculation, observation, explanation, and prediction.” (Heath & Bryant, 2013) Without remembering these basic communication theories within our contemporary communication efforts, many messages would be extremely misconstrued. Nowadays, most communications are done digitally, via social media, email, text message, etc., so the tone of the message must be considered as well. These theories help to identify what type of tone should be taken. What is the audience’s background on education? What social category do they fall into? Are they religious? When these questions begin to be answered, the words needed for communication can be better formulated in order for the original message to be interpreted as the creator intended. As Facebook, Twitter, and other forms of social media have developed and become the norm over recent years, it is important to remember the theories of communication as well as the audiences that will be viewing this message. Social media has only strengthened cultural theory and meaning-making perspective as users have the ability to view what any person is doing at any place in the world at that moment. This communication will broaden relationships, belief systems, and education, but it will also cultivate and skew the reality that users live in. Television attempts to show viewers what reality looks like. But often times, viewers are not of the same culture and therefore their expectation of what life should be like often becomes skewed as they believe they should be living the way that is portrayed on TV. As our textbook defines theories, television is especially apparent in the Social Construction of Reality theory: “cultures construct and maintain realities by using signs and symbols; people learn to behave in their social world through interaction with it” (Baran, 2019). If content creators want their audience to believe what they are stating, they must make audiences interact with their message. Communication theories, whether contemporary or traditional, are infinite. As new technology emerges and communication changes through these technologies, these theories will continue to be utilized on a trial and error basis. It is important that creators of content or messages be aware that no two people are alike and, therefore, their message will be interpreted in a different way by every audience. The study of communication and its theories will continue to evolve in the years to come and may never reach a definitive definition. References Baran, S. (2019). Introduction to Mass Communication: Media Literacy and Culture. https://mheducation.com/highered Bryant, J. & Heath, R. (2013). Human Communication Theory and Research: Concepts, Contexts, and Challenges. https://www.google.com/books/edition/_/Fk7j_Va-qZ0C?hl=en&gbpv=0 Sana, M. (April 2015). Critical Analysis of Mass Communication Theories. Scholedge International Journal of Multidisciplinary & Allied Studies 2(4). 19-24