One popular strategy in communication and media research is to divide the mass communication into its constituent’s parts and suggest studies that might help to explain each part of the process. A popular model used to further this effort is Harold Lasswell’s narrative model of communication, that is, “Who says what in which channel to whom with what effect?” Each component in Lasswell’s verbal model corresponds to a prime media research area.
“Who” is to analyze speaker, the reporter or the medium called communicator or the source analysis. The purpose of source analysis is to find out what kinds of people are well-suited to execute the role of communicator and what factors affect communicator performance. Source analysis is the study of distinct source attributes such as credibility, expertise, intent and attractiveness that affect the acceptance of the message by the receiver.
“Says what” is to examining the content being carried over the medium called message analysis. The quality and kinds of messages are studied in terms of comprehensibility, interest arousal and attention value and the final impact. Variation on style, length, readability and emotional appeal and rationality characteristics of message has been focus of number of research studies.
“In what channel” is to analyze of the medium itself, that is, channel or medium analysis. The channel through which message is transmitted is closely related to the effectiveness of the message. This is because of distinctive characteristics of the various media. Media perform the functions of informing, instructing, entertaining, persuading and influencing differently from one another. By the virtue of their content, style and geographic coverage media are, to a large extent, are able to select desired audiences.
“To whom” is to examine the audience. One of the most sought after an area of communication research is audience analysis or audience research. The majority of communication research is ultimately concerned with mass media audiences. Those who are in the business of communication need to know the behaviour, interest, tastes, attitudes and opinion of the people whom they seek to reach.
“With what effect” is to explore the impact that media exerts on its audience. Attached to the notion of audiences there are two pertinent questions that we need to answer. What are the effects of mass communication on its audiences? What happens when people use media? Answers to mainly these two questions the media effect can be studied at several levels: exposure, comprehension, recall, acceptance and action.
Thus, an integrated and complete communication research is the combinations of source, message, channel, receiver or audience reserach.
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