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Introduction To Mass Communication - MCM 101 VU: Message - Root of Communication I

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Introduction To Mass Communication - MCM 101 VU: Message - Root of Communication I

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bc200200813 JUNAID ARSHAD
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Introduction to Mass Communication – MCM 101 VU

LESSON 07
MESSAGE – ROOT OF COMMUNICATION I

Message in communication holds the key in determining what a piece of communication is


all about. A slight change at the end from where a message is originating may lead to a yawning
difference in understanding it at the end of receiver.

Human message is entirely different from a mechanical message which makes it a very tricky, some
time complex but embarrassing proposition. If you blow a horn of a motorcar it would sound the
same if you try it a hundred times. The telephone bell will ring in the same fashion – sound and the
level of volume, where you have adjusted it. Listen to a recorded music and you would hear the same
no matter how many time you bother the machine to play it.

But human communication is very different. You can’t repeat a message exactly the ways you have
done before for a range of variables occur in composing the message. As said a while ago, a slight
change in message – in any manner – may lead to change its meanings at the receiving end. When we
examine this property of message in the field of mass communication, the outcome suggest that the
sender of a message need to draw extraordinary measures to avoid any misunderstanding on part of
receivers who may be in millions in some given case. That is why lines (script) in mass
communication is not changed frequently and highly trained people are employed to dispatch
message in a quest to achieve the goal of communicating the same meanings – to a possible extent.

Here we will study nature and characteristics of message and the measures to be taken to avoid
problems in communication especially when a message is meant for cross cultures, religions,
continents, nationalities and casts etc.

Division
Messages are generally divided into two categories:
• Verbal
• Non verbal

VERBAL MESSAGE
A message composed in words – spoken or written – fall in this category. All we read in
newspapers, magazines and books as well as listen to fellow beings face to face or radio, TV,
telephone etc are clear examples of verbal messages.

Linguistic Barrier
All people even when they belong to one clan do not posses same linguistic skills. Nor a
person ever knows that whatever he or she is saying – by composing in idioms and words – is to be
understood as such by others. Think of a situation when people are talking to each other that belong
to different areas where even the same words stand for different meanings. And if the sender and
receiver of a message belong to areas where two different languages are spoken, the meanings of
message are deciphered substantially and chances of misunderstanding, and misgiving, are high.

Standard Meaning’s Problem


Some time a language may not prove up to the mark even two very close people are
exchanging views. For instance two people understand what is meant by the word ‘hot’. Even then if
one person reports to other that it is hot outside, the receiver may not quantify how hot it is unless
physics (science) is applied and the sender says it is 40 degree Celsius outside. In normal language in
which communication is done such physics references are a remote possibility. Hence there is always
difference in understanding the exact meaning of a message.

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Introduction to Mass Communication – MCM 101 VU

Written Message Confusion


The written words offer more of this situation. It is difficult to articulate your thinking and
feeling about an experience in to words. It is even more difficult for the reader – receiver – to decode
or understand who has no experience of those feelings. For instance a person has never visited Swat
valley. It is so difficult to make him or her feel the way writer has felt the experience of visiting the all
awesome valley even if he has chosen best words and articulation to describe the feelings.

You never know whether a person has exaggerated while giving an account of some event. As words
are not like mathematics to give same result after same exercise. This makes the task of historians
extremely difficult who have to write for people centuries after when a sea of cultural changes would
have taken place only to alter the meanings of the same words used by the authors of the history
book.

It is here that we can recall the Shcramm-Osgood communication model which emphasizes on the
common experience of the things talked about by the sender in a message.

Static Evaluation
Words themselves do not carry the same meanings through time and space. A word which
gave a specific meaning a hundred years ago may not give the same meanings today – for scores of
reasons. Similarly meanings of same words are changed at some distance. A verbal message which
once stood for certain meanings, may not always stand for the same meanings because static meaning
evaluation does not hold in any language.

NON VERBAL MESSAGE


Many messages we come across in our daily life are non verbal – not in words by in gestures,
symbols, signs etc. Here we will see how this part of communication takes place.

Gestures
We usually adopt some patent gestures to communicate certain feelings. A victory sign is a
clear example of sending a message of a win. A baby brings certain gestures on his/her face to
communicate mother and others about the pain or pleasure it is feeling. Wink of an eye may send a
message across for multiple meanings.

Signs and Symbols


At times the non verbal communication – message, prove more to be understood beyond
the bounds of culture and creed. A red-cross sign has assumed a global understanding for medical
care. Blaring of siren by an ambulance sends the same meaning to all. Traffic signals are globally
understood the same way.

Cultural Conflict
Some cultures however differ in communicating the same meanings of common symbols.
For instance present a while rose in Japan may stand for meanings different if the same is done in the
subcontinent. Seeing into the eyes may stand as a sign of truthfulness of a child, it may be deemed as
an offense.

Body Gestures (Language)


As we send down a message even in words, we tend to attach some non verbal action to give
more meaning to the message. If we have to say sit down please, we also extend our hand as to
support the verbal communication.

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Introduction to Mass Communication – MCM 101 VU

Voice Accentuation
Not only at most inter-personal and group communications but also at the level of mass
communication the common most things in a message is the voice accentuation. Speakers at a mass
rally or even on radio and television tend to change their voice level and stress words to give some
particular meaning to their utterances. You also do it when you talk to a baby and discipline your
voice level – with the same set of words – when talking to an older person like father or teacher for
instance.

©Copyright Virtual University of Pakistan


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