Communication Model

Communication is the process by which messages are formulated, exchanged and interpreted in attempts to gain shared meaning. Using the Communication Model we see more clearly how this shared meaning is obtained.

The Newspaper Article
The channel would be the newspaper itself containing the article. The sender in the newspaper article could well be the journalist himself. He wrote the article and is the one attempting to share it with others. The message itself is the article that he wrote. Of course there is noise which interrupts this message. The noise could easily be semantic, enviromental or internal. The receiver in this model would be the reader/readers that the journalist was attempting to reach. Feedback isn't always as easy to get with a newspaper article however there are some types of articles in which the readers can respond to the article with a letter to the paper and the paper publishes it. The feedback also passes through noise where their intentions might be misinterrpreted by the journalist. Finally shared meaning is obtained through the nespaper article.

The Magazine Article
The channel here is the magazine itself that contains the article. The sender in the magazine article is logically the writer of the article. The message, like in the newspaper, is also the article itself. If the receiver doesn't understand the writer's points in the article then the noise is semantic. The receiver is the reader of the article. If the magazine were about sports then perhaps the receiver would be males between the ages of 12 and 55. Feedback within the magazine article is also not always easy or possible. the receiver can write a letter to the magazine but the magazine doesn't always pass it along to the writer so noise can really disrupt feedback in this case.

Radio Program
The channel from sender to receiver in this case is the radio waves. The sender in this situation would be the dj or host of the radio show. For fun, we'll say its talk radio. Howard Stern wants to send a clean, upright message to his audience, the receiver. However there is some internal noise on the receiving end. The audience can't fully receive Howard's message due to weird noises and vulgar language that came from Howard. But that doesn't stop their feedback. The audience begins to call in and complain. Except there is noise it must pass through again. This time it is semantic. Howard can't understand what everyone's problem is.

Television Show
The channel for a television show is of course the tv itself. The sender here could be a number of different people depending on the situation. We'll say this time its a talk show so that the host of the talk show is the sender. We'll take the show Wayne's World. Wayne is the sender and he wants his message of partying on and rock and roll to be received by the teenage audience. The noise here is mechanical because of all the loud guitar sounds and low grade audio equipment. So the audience responds with feedback of calling in and saying they can't hear everything. Wayne kind of hears them on the phone but Garth is playing drums way too loud. This would be enviromental noise.

The Communication Model works more efficiently for radio and television shows that allow people to call in and comment. However, if it were any other kind of television show then feedback would be very difficult. Every radio show I've ever heard of has allowed people to call in and comment so the radio show is the most efficient in the communication model.

Television obviously performs entertaining the best out of all the mass media. It has more shows and more people following it than any other form of mass media. I would have to say the newspaper would perform informing the best if you include online versions of it. I don't pick up many newspapers to read but read NY Times online quite frequently. Furthermore, television would also have to win for most persuasive form of mass media. So many people believe if they see it on tv it must be true.