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TABLE OF CONTENTS STUDY UNITS MODULE 1 UNIT 1 THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS UNIT 2 TRADITIONAL AND MODERN MEANS OF COMMUNICATION UNIT 3 THE MASS MEDIA – CLASSIFICATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS UNIT 4 FUNCTIONS OF THE MASS MEDIA UNIT 5 THEORIES OF THE MASS MEDIA
MODULE 2 UNIT 1 OVERVIEW OF THE MASS MEDIA IN NIGERIAN SOCIETY UNIT 2 MEDIA OWNERSHIP AND CONTROL UNIT 3 PRESS FREEDOM IN NIGERIA UNIT 4 THE NIGERIAN PRESS COUNCIL UNIT 5 THE NIGERIAN SOCIAL STRUCTURE
MODULE 3 UNIT 1 CULTURE AND THE MASS MEDIA UNIT 2 SOCIAL CHANGE AND THE MASS MEDIA UNIT 3 CULTURAL IMPERIALISM AND MEDIA DEPENDENCY UNIT 4 GLOBALIZATION AND THE MEDIA UNIT 5 SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND THE MASS MEDIA UNIT 6 MASS MEDIA AND ECONOMY
MODULE 4 UNIT 1 TECHNOLOGY AND THE MEDIA
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UNIT 2 SOCIAL EFFECTS OF THE MASS MEDIA
UNIT 3 MEDIA AND GOVERNANCE UNIT 4 MEDIA ETHICS IN NIGERIA UNIT 5 MASS MEDIA AND DEVELOPMENT
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CHAPTER ONE UNIT 1: THE PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION 1.0 INTRODUCTION Communication which is the process of transferring thoughts, ideas, facts, feelings, etc from one person to another is very important inhuman existence. Without communication, life will be meaningless and human interaction would be impossible. This unit takes a look at the concept of communication with particular emphasis on its meaning, types and process.
2.0 OBJECTIVES At the end of this unit, should be able to: define communication discuss types of communication outline the process of communication
3.1 DEFINITIONS OF COMMUNICATION
Communication as a concept parades a lot of definitions. But before we take a look at various definitions of communication, it is important for us to trace the origin of the term. The term communication is derived from the latin word, communic are meaning to share and from the French communis meaning common. (Akalugo, 2003). Thus, communication simply, means the sharing of meaning. The importance ofcommunication cannot be overemphasized. Sybil etal (1989:2) observed that communication “serves as an instrument of social interaction. It helps us to understand ourselves, to keep in touch with other people, to understand situations. It is a means by which power is acquired, exercised and sustained. It is the medium through which relationships are established, extended and maintained…”
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Let us consider the following definitions of communication by some experts:
1. Communication is any means by which a thought is transferred from one person
to another (Chappel& Read 1984:1).
2. Communication is the process by which one person (or a group) shares and imparts information to another person (or group) so that both people (and group) clearly understand one another. (Udall, R & Udall, S 1979:5).
3. Communication is not just the giving of information, it is the giving of
understandable information and receiving and understanding the message. Communication is the transferring of a message to another party so that it can be understood and acted upon. (Eyre, E.C 1983:7).
4. The communication process involves all acts of transmitting messages to
channels which link people to the languages and symbolic codes which are used to transmit messages, the means by which messages are received and stored, and the rules, customs, and conventions which define and regulate human relationships and events. (Ugboajah, F 1985:2).
From the above definitions, one can see a common thread running through them. From the definitions, communication is viewed as: (a) A process of transmitting thought (b) The sharing and imparting of information
(c) The giving of understandable information and receiving and understanding
of the message (d) The transmitting of messages and the linking of people (e) The conveying of ideas, feelings and attitudes
(f) The creating and exchanging of messages within a network of
Interdependent relationships.
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3.2 TYPES OF COMMUNICATION
Human communication falls into two broad categories – verbal and nonverbal.
Verbal communication is a kind of communication which is done through the use of
words. It can take place in an oral form or written form.
Non-verbal communication on the other hand is a form of communication which is
carried out without speech. It comprises the following: (i) Tactile communication e.g. touching, kissing etc. (ii) Sign e.g. Road traffic signs; boy scout signs, etc. (iii) Object e.g. uniform, crown, artworks, etc. (iv) Action e.g. boxing, football, etc.
(v) Genetic factor communication e.g skin colour, shape of head,body proportion, etc. Communication can also be: 1. Intrapersonal communication 2. Interpersonal communication 3. Group communication 4. Mass communication
Intrapersonal communication is the process of transfer of information which takes place
within an individual e.gsoliloquy.(Soola, 1998).
Inter-personal communication is also known as face-to-face communication under this
communication, the exchange of ideas, shares his ideas or information with the receiver unlike intrapersonal communication where the communicator keeps his ideas to himself. e.g GSM discussion or telephone conversation. (Akalugo, 2003).
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Group communication; when three or more people come together with a view to achieving a specific goal, a group is formed. Their coming together may be by design or by accident but so long as there is exchange of ideas and information among the group, you have group communication. Group communication takes place in churches, offices, schools, clubs, etc where a group share ideas with one another for the attainment of group goals. (Sybil, e tal, 1990).
Mass communication is the process of transmitting information, ideas, attitudes, values,
and beliefs through a communication device to a relatively large, heterogeneous and anonymous audience simultaneously. In mass communication, modern communication gadgets are used in putting across a message through channels like radio, television, newspapers, magazines, etc. (Sambe, 2004). Mass communication is unique because its message is often general and targeted at a very large audience, who are anonymous in nature and heterogeneous in composition and posture. Under mass communication, there is low degree of feedback and low level of interaction. The message is rapid and transient in nature as it is meant to be consumed immediately
3.3 PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION
A process according to Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English is “a series of
actions that someone takes in order to achieve a particular result”. The communication process involves the following:
(1) Transmitter (2) Design the message (3) Select the medium (4) Receiver (5) Design the response
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(6) Select the medium
(7) Feedback
When we understand the concept of process, we view relationships andevents as
dynamic, on-going, ever-changing, and continuous. The components within a process interact. Each ingredient affects all others all the time.
Transmitter –This is also known as the source, the encoder, the communicator or thesender. The transmitter is the initiator of the communication encounter. According to Soola, O (1998:14), the “source or sender of the message, ideas or information may be an individual, a group or an organization. We can thus talk about intrapersonal, interpersonal, and intra-organizational and inter organizational communication”. It is important at this juncture for us to consider some factors that influence effective communication by a source. Sambe (2008:4-6) identifies four of these factors. The factors are: communication skills, knowledge level, social cultural context and attitude.
Communication Skill: A source must have a good command of the language he
choosesto communicate in, that is, he must be able to pronounce or write words or segments correctly. If he is communicating orally, he must use the appropriate stress pattern. His intonation must be in conformity with the standard one. His reasoning must be very sound and logical, devoid of unnecessary sentiments or emotions. This means that the speech organ of the speaker must function effectively. All voiced sounds must be accompanied by the adequate vibration of the vocal cords, while all the voiceless sounds must be produced with free flow of air.
Knowledge Level: The source of communication must have a good knowledge of
themessage he is putting across to the recipient. Success of communication is often
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influenced by the source’s perception and knowledge of the message. This enables the source to state his message unequivocally and understandably.
Socio-cultural Context: Interactions in society is shrouded in the background of
setsocio-cultural milieu. For this reason, communication can hardly take place in a vacuum. The social-cultural context in which communication takes place determines to a large extent the disposition of the source towards the message and then towards the receiver or audience. We have such social context as son father context, daughter/mother context, student/teacher context, friend/friend context, etc. Whatever the context, a good communicator should realize that situation changes in different environments and that regard must be given to age, status, seniority, class distinctions, etc. He must thus strive to conform to the socio-cultural context in which he is communicating.
Attitude: This is another important factor in the source that bears on the success orotherwise of his communication endeavor. The attitude of the source is often measured by his communication behaviour, which may be positive or negative. Also, the source consciously or unconsciously brings his personality to bear on his communication endeavours. His attitude serves as a reflection of his personality. There are three levels of attitude of the source:
Attitude towards self: This is referred to as self-concept and its very crucial tocommunication. The source must have positive self-concept. This means approaching the communication endeavour with confidence and not inferiority complex.
Attitude to the message: Though feelings are difficult to hide, the source should try asmuch as possible to be neutral or at least positive to the message.
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Attitude towards the receiver: The source must have a positive attitude towards thereceiver. For any meaningful communication to take place, the source would need to create an atmosphere conducive to communicate with the receiver. He must know that he can hardly communicate effectively with someone he hates or mistrusts.
Design the Message
After the sender decides to share his ideas, feelings and information with someone else, he will choose which symbols to use to put across his message to the receiver. Writing, speaking, gesturing, etc is some of the means the communicator can reach out to the intended receiver. Designing of the message is the stimulus for transmission
Select the Medium
The communicator chooses appropriate channel to carefully and timely convey his information to the receiver. Soola, O (Op cit) explains the rationale for choice of medium. According to him, “your choice of a medium must be based on your understanding of the audience. Of particular relevance in this regard is whether the receiver is educated or not; whether or not he can read and write, as well as his level of understanding of the language of communication. Other factors to consider include the physical distance separating the source from the receiver, as well as the nature of the message…”
Receiver
The receiver is the decoder of the message. The receiver needs to pay much attention in other to receive the message with clear understanding. There must be perceptive listening on the side of the receiver.
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Design the Response
At this stage, the receiver organizes and responds to the stimulus having got the message interpreted by his central nervous system. Select the medium
At this stage, the receiver has to select a method of sending his reply to the source. The decoder who receives the message must participate in the communication exchange. He will have to respond through an appropriate medium.
Feedback
Feedback is the receiver’s response to the source’s message. (Sambe, 2008:8). This is the reaction or reply to the message. Feedback is the lastbut important part of the communication process. Sybil et al (1990:10) stated that feedback helps to show whether or not:
(i) Communication has taken place
(ii) The decoder of the message has understood (iii) The decoder is prepared and willing to partake in the communication process (iv) The encoder has adequately formulated and sent his message
