Journalism notes

Chapter 1:Concept and process of communication: Source, message, channel, destination,

encoding, decoding, noise, feedback. Oral vs. written communication. Two step flow of
communication. Role of opinion leader

Concept of Communication
Communication is the exchange of facts, opinions, idea or emotions between two or more than
two persons of common interest. It is the chain of understanding that binds an enterprise from
top to bottom and from side to side. No organization can accomplish the goal without effective
communication

The term communication is derived from the Latin word “communis” which means to inform, to
tell, to show to spread information. Communication refers to the transformation of information.
It is a key function of management. It can play an important role in the success of the business
organization. In the organization, ideas, goals, plans, instructions, suggestions, etc. have to be
communicated to the managerial staff for the purpose of coordination.
Definition of Communication
Many writers have defined communication in different ways, some of them are listed below:
In the words of Keith Davis,
"Communication is the process of passing information and understanding from one person to
another. It is essentially a bridge of meaning between people."
In the words of Koontz and Weihrich,
" Communication is the transfer of information from a sender to a receiver with the information
being understood by the receiver."

Communication is the way of sending information. It is the process of exchanging information

between two or more persons to achieve mutual understanding with each other. The basic steps
of communication are message composition, message encoding, transmission of a signal, to
people by using technology Finally, the message decodes and interpretation of the message by
the recipient
Process of Communication

The process of communication refers to the transmission or passage of information or message

from the sender through a selected channel to the receiver overcoming barriers that affect its
pace.
The process of communication is a cyclic one as it begins with the sender and ends with the
sender in the form of feedback. It takes place upward, downward and laterally throughout the
organization.
The process of communication as such must be a continuous and dynamic interaction, both
affecting and being affected by many variables.
Communication process consists of certain steps where each step constitutes the essential of an
effective communication.
The following is a brief analysis of the important steps of the process of communication.

The Different Elements in The Process of Communication

We will now learn about the different elements in the process of communication.
Sender
The very foundation of communication process is laid by the person who transmits or sends the
message. He is the sender of the message which may be a thought, idea, a picture, symbol, report
or an order and postures and gestures, even a momentary smile. The sender is therefore the
initiator of the message that need to be transmitted. After having generated the idea, information
etc. the sender encodes it in such a manner that can be well-understood by the receiver.
Message
Message is referred to as the information conveyed by words as in speech and write-ups, signs,
pictures or symbols depending upon the situation and the nature and importance of information
desired to be sent. Message is the heart of communication. It is the content the sender wants to
covey to the receiver. It can be verbal both written and spoken; or non-verbal i.e. pictorial or
symbolic, etc.
Encoding
Encoding is putting the targeted message into appropriate medium which may be verbal or non-
verbal depending upon the situation, time, space and nature of the message to be sent. The sender
puts the message into a series of symbols, pictures or words which will be communicated to the
intended receiver. Encoding is an important step in the communication process as wrong and
inappropriate encoding may defeat the true intent of the communication process.
Channel
Channel(s) refers to the way or mode the message flows or is transmitted through. The message
is transmitted over a channel that links the sender with the receiver. The message may be oral or
written and it may be transmitted through a memorandum, a computer, telephone, cell phone,
apps or televisions. Since each channel has its advantages and disadvantages, the choice of
proper selection of the channel is paramount for effective communication.
Receiver
Receiver is the person or group who the message is meant for. He may be a listener, a reader or a
viewer. Any negligence on the part of the receiver may make the communication ineffective. The
receiver needs to comprehend the message sent in the best possible manner such that the true
intent of the communication is attained. The extent to which the receiver decodes the message
depends on his/her knowledge of the subject matter of the message, experience, trust and
relationship with the sender.
The receiver is as significant a factor in communication process as the sender is. It is the other
end of the process. The receiver should be in fit condition to receive the message, that is, he/she
should have channel of communication active and should not be preoccupied with other thoughts
that might cause him/her to pay insufficient attention to the message.
Decoding
Decoding refers to interpreting or converting the sent message into intelligible language. It
simply means comprehending the message. The receiver after receiving the message interprets it
and tries to understand it in the best possible manner.
Feedback
Feedback is the ultimate aspect of communication process. It refers to the response of the
receiver as to the message sent to him/her by the sender. Feedback is necessary to ensure that the
message has been effectively encoded, sent, decoded and comprehended.
It is the final step of the communication process and establishes that the receiver has received the
message in its letter and spirit. In other words, the receiver has correctly interpreted the message
as it was intended by the sender. It is instrumental to make communication effective and
purposeful.
Consider the following points related to the feedback involved in the process of
communication −
 It enhances the effectiveness of the communication as it permits the sender to know the
efficacy of his message.
 It enables the sender to know if his/her message has been properly comprehended.
 The analysis of feedbacks helps improve future messages. Feedback, like the message, can
be verbal or nonverbal and transmitted through carefully chosen channel of
communication.
 We can represent the above steps in a model as the model of communication process.
Oral Vs written communication

Definition of Oral Communication

Oral Communication is the process of conveying or receiving messages with the use of spoken
words. This mode of communication is highly used across the world because of rapid
transmission of information and prompt reply.

Oral communication can either be in the form of direct conversation between two or more
persons like face to face communication, lectures, meetings, seminars, group discussion,
conferences, etc. or indirect conversation, i.e. the form of communication in which a medium is
used for interchange of information like telephonic conversation, video call, voice call, etc.

The best thing about this mode of communication is that the parties to communication, i.e.
sender or receiver, can notice nonverbal cues like the body language, facial expression, tone of
voice and pitch, etc. This makes the communication between the parties more effective.
However, this mode is backed with some limitation like the words once spoken can never be
taken back.

Definition of Written Communication

The communication in which the message is transmitted in written or printed form is known as
Written Communication. It is the most reliable mode of communication, and it is highly
preferred in the business world because of its formal and sophisticated nature. The various
channels of written communication are letters, e-mails, journals, magazines, newspapers, text
messages, reports, etc. There are a number of advantages of written communication which are as
under:

 Referring the message in the future will be easy.

 Before transmitting the message, one can revise or rewrite it in an organised way.
 The chances of misinterpretation of message are very less because the words are carefully
chosen.
 The communication is planned.
 Legal evidence is available due to the safekeeping of records.

But as we all know that everything has two aspects, same is the case with written communication
as the communication is a time consuming one. Moreover, the sender will never know that the
receiver has read the message or not. The sender has to wait for the responses of the receiver. A
lot of paperwork is there, in this mode of communication.

Key Differences Between Oral Communication and Written Communication

The following are the major differences between oral communication and written
communication:

1. The type of communication in which the sender transmits information to the receiver
through verbally speaking the message. The communication mode, which uses written or
printed text for exchanging the information is known as Written Communication.
2. The pre-condition in written communication is that the participants must be literate
whereas there is no such condition in case of oral communication.
3. Proper records are there in Written Communication, which is just opposite in the case of
Oral Communication.
4. Oral Communication is faster than Written Communication.
5. The words once uttered cannot be reversed in the case of Oral Communication. On the
other hand, editing of the original message is possible in Written Communication.
6. Misinterpretation of the message is possible in Oral Communication but not in Written
Communication.
7. In oral communication, instant feedback is received from the recipient which is not
possible in Written Communication.

Two step flow of communication

Basically two-step and multi-step flow of communication models are refinements of the HYPODERMIC
NEEDLE MODEL OF COMMUNICATION The one- step model denies the role of opinion leader In the flow
of communication and presents the view that the mass media communicate directly to a mass audience
There IS no suggestion however that the messages reach all receivers equally or that they have the same
effect on each indiviual in the audience The model lakes into account the influence of an individual ’5
perception. memory and SELECTIVE EXPOSURE on his/her particular interpretation of a message
SALIENCE - or the factor of prominence- is also considered to be an important variable in the model.

A study conducted by Paul Lazarsfeld and others of the [940 presidential election in US threw doubt on
the validity ot‘lhe one-step theory, reponing in the people's choice ( US Duell. Sloan & Pearce I944), the
authors found linle evidence of the direct influence of the media; indeed people seemed more
influenced by face-to—face contact with others .llazarsfeld and his fellow researchers suggested that
the flow of communication to the individual is ofien directed through an opinion leader vyho plays a
vital role in both spreading and interpreting the information/ they thus proposed a two-step'model of
communication flow which later research has found to be generally useful In highlighting the imponance
of the social context of the receiver in the process of the interpretation of mass communication
messages this model differs significantly from earlier ones. It presgms the mass audience as being
composed of 'interacxing and responsive individuals rather that of the socially isolated. passive atoms of
earlier mass society theories.

The multi step is a gevelopmem of the other two' allowing for the sequential relaying of a MESSAGE II is
not specific about the number of steps there will be in'the relaying process nor does is specify that
messages must originate from a source and then pass straight through the agencies of the mass media,
The model suggests a variable number of relays in the communication process and that the receivers
may relay NETWORK . The exact number of steps in the process depends upon the following, (I) the
intenliOns ofthe source; (2) the availability ofthe mass media‘ (3) the extent of audience exposure to
agencies of communication. (4) the nature of the message, (5)1he importance of the message 10 the
audience The model has ofien been used in recent researbh Its advantage is that it allows the
researchers to a'ccoum for different variables in different communication situations.

Role of opinion Leader

An opinion leader is an individual who has expertise and authority in a certain industry and
their audience’s trust. This person is famous and can influence consumers’ opinions.

What is the role of an opinion leader?

Opinion leaders act as an intermediary between marketers and their target audiences. They obtain
information about a certain product, summarize its pros and cons, and convey it to consumers in
a simple way. Thought leaders also update consumers on product news and give advice on how
to use it. They provide the audiences with their personal experience so that consumers can decide
whether to purchase a specific product or service.

Now that you know more about the role of an opinion leader, it’s time to determine the
characteristics you should have to become one.

Opinion Leader Characteristics

To become a reliable source of information, opinion leaders should possess several main
qualities. They help gain popularity, trust, and recognition. Let’s review them to understand what
kind of people can grow into influencers.

 Knowledge and expertise. These individuals are aware of the pros and cons of the
products or services they promote. That’s why before sharing a product with the target
audience, opinion leaders spend some time exploring a product and its features. Later,
they communicate the value of a certain product using their accounts on social media and
other channels.
  Charisma. Opinion leaders should be able to charm people and win their attention to
make them listen. Charisma enables them to influence customers and make them love the
narrator. These people are role models that present a type of living everyone wants to
have. As a result, customers trust their recommendations and buy products to become
similar to influencers.
 Influence. Since opinion leaders are role models for many, customers believe and trust
them. With the help of authority and expertise, they encourage consumers to purchase
products they recommend. However, influencers have to prove that the products they
promote actually work. For example, if these people recommend skincare, they should
have good glowing skin.
 Professionals in handling PR. Brand promoters are professionals in digesting
information and communicating it to the target audience using simple language. They are
masters of public speaking and can easily win customers’ attention and loyalty.
 Social media presence. Publishing posts and photos, sharing their experience with a
product, and creating stories on social media is the best way for opinion leaders to reach
customers. Different platforms allow influencers to share the necessary information and
promote it in a friendly manner. Thought leaders’ social media profiles should contain
expert industry-specific information. They update followers on webinars, conferences,
and courses and encourage them to participate.
Now that you know the main characteristics, let’s discuss how to identify key opinion leaders.

How to Identify Key Opinion Leaders

There are two different types of key opinion leaders: traditional and digital. We’ll review the
ways to identify each of them.

To identify opinion leaders in the digital world, you need to pay attention to the main metrics:
qualitative and quantitative. Finding appropriate influencers for your brand requires exploring
the quantitative aspect. It refers to the number of followers, mentions, shares, and frequency of
posting. You’ll also need to explore the qualitative aspect that includes content’s quality and
relevance, meaning that you should define whether their content suits your target audience.

If you aim to identify traditional key opinion leaders, you need to look for speakers at
conferences and events related to your industry and top experts in the field. This will help
you find traditional influencers for your business.

Now that you know how to identify digital and traditional opinion leaders, you should also know
what it takes to become one.