MCS theory, key terms, central concepts
Communication is a significant tool for sharing the knowledge that society uses every day for centuries. There are a number of theories regarding the communication and its power; however, no one will argue the fact that the influence that the information has is impressive. The Internet offers unlimited access to the news and changes; nevertheless, the informational flood cannot be omitted. The major purpose of the paper is to provide the reflection on the material that was discussed.
Media and communication are the integral parts of the modern life. Hall once stated that communication is the source of power that can be used by influential groups of people to impact the media. The influential magazines, such as Vogue can affect the public opinion, and the concept of representation of the information seems to be relevant in the modern society. The social world is highly dependent on media and communication. Every day people use the Internet, read newspapers, watch TV programs, and that is, it seems to be significant to be aware of media and communication theory and what implications they might have on the human life.
Communication can be viewed from two different dimensions, namely transmission and the ritual points of view. The difference between two concepts is that transmission is focused on the message rather than the establishment of the relationships, whereas the ritual communication deals with the emotions and conformational level and is rooted in the aspect of religion. However, even in the digital era, the ritual type of communication has found a niche. The ability to establish connections and share the information is the key points.
The pressure of stereotyping influences the social life. Taking some situations or events out of the context contributes to the mismatch between the message and public’s perception of it.
Application of MCS Concepts
The society has already entered the new era of the digital world. Everything changes very fast and the things that attracted people a decade ago have no power anymore. The development of the Internet put in a risk the newspapers and the advertisement that is printed in the magazines. Page One: A Year Inside the New York Times proves that even successful companies suffer from the spread of the Internet turning it to the main competitor of the printed journals, newspapers, and magazines. However, the newspapers can reform the strategies and use the Internet as an unlimited source for the improvement. Being able to post the article in the virtual environment, analyze feedback, and collaborating with the readers online can contribute to the prosperity of the newspaper industry.
As for the stereotyping, it should be stressed that the way women are represented in the modern media affect the public opinion and can influence it significantly. The film Miss Representation depicts the image of women in the modern world. According to the experiment, most of the girls that are sure that it is difficult for a woman to fit the ideal created by the media. The fundamental problem is that the effect of the media on the human being is not visible, and that is, it is unconscious. People tend to take some situations or images out of the context, and this creates the problem. Information can be understood differently depending on cultural differences.
Language signs and symbols have an impressive influence on how the person perceives the information. The Vogue cover with basketball star and the supermodel can be associated with the 1933 poster for King Kong. The experts state that it is not a coincidence; it is the example of the concept of representation. The basketball fan will associate the cover as a symbol of outstanding professional skills of the player and ability to impress any women, even the supermodel. However, the fans of King Kong are likely to see other symbols concerning the Vogue cover.
Development of Collaboration and Shared Leadership Skills
The group assignment helped me to get better involved in the question regarding the connection between media and communication theories and the social world. The media is an essential part of a human life and has a significant effect on the Internet, advertisement, and social culture. The case studies provided the necessary understanding of how the theory works in the real life and how the studied concepts can be applied to practise. Every team member has some peculiarities of the perception of the information, interaction with the group helped to get better insights of the issue regarding the communication. The course readings and detailed analysis had a beneficial effect on the understanding of different types of communication, techniques, language signs, stereotypes, and how media and communication may influence the public opinion. The influence of the media cannot be seen; it is not visible. The information goes through the personal filter, background, and experience and can be understood differently by people of various age, profession, culture, or race. The variety of examples proved the significance of communication and media for the modern life and highlighted the importance of further investigation of the topic.