After
more than ten years working in journalism, communication, and media relations,
I am very familiar with the Shannon-Weaver Model of Communication, if not by definition,
by practice. In my work, a strong
understanding of who the senders and receivers involved in communication are is
crucial for success. In newsrooms across
the United States, producers and news directors talk about how to better serve
their audience and make decisions about what messages should be sent through the
airwaves or cable channels. As
technology enhanced, even greater discussions continued surrounding the most
effective ways to communicate using some of the principals of visual literacy. Television stations are continually trying
out new graphics.
It should be noted however
that message sending and receiving in news media has traditionally been
conceived and executed as a very linear process in which the senders (news
stations or newspapers) had explicit power over the tone and tenor of the message,
as well as when and how the message was delivered to the consumers (receivers). Once the viewers received the message, the
process ended. More recently recognition
of the importance of the feedback loop has emerged in traditional media. Brick and mortar TV stations and newspapers
now have web sites and social media sites that enable and collect the receivers’
reactions and questions about news. This
transition has not been particularly easy for mass media. In fact, the degree to which news outlets
effectively leveraging these feedback channels varies greatly. In the case of several local news stations
that I work with, feedback from consumers is encouraged, but rarely used or
referenced in short or long-term decision making. On the opposite end of the spectrum, CNN has
created a micro site that promotes viewer participation in the conversations
surrounding prominent news, as well as promotes viewer collection and publication
of news. CNN’s iReport has been used
heavily online; however it is not widely used in the Cable News Network’s
broadcasts.
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| CNN's iReport web page. |
More
recently in my career path, I have worked in the field of media relations. In general, in this role I function as the
sender and members of the media function as the receiver. In this dynamic, I do my very best to ensure
the feedback loop is open and enhanced when possible. It is true that as a public and media
relations professional, I have a very clear understanding of what message I
want to communicate to the reporters and editors and an idea on how that
reporter should receive and re-articulate my persuasive messages. However, I’ve found that I’m most successful
at my job when members of the media can openly discuss their needs and
expectations with me. Through enhancing
my availability and receptiveness to members of the media’s feedback, I can more
effectively plan and subsequently deliver my message and meet their needs. Though the Shannon-Weaver Model does not offer
a time-element, it’s my experience that effectively executing the feedback loop
lengthens the communication process. When
the sender becomes the receiver and vice versa, navigating the players’ fields
of experience can add more noise to the process.
I
should note that in the education and formation of professional journalists and
public relations professionals, a hint of constructivism can be found. It is not overt, but increasingly, teachers
in post-secondary education specifically related to mass communication design their
curriculum to center on hands-on, experiential training. At the Greenlee School of Journalism, for example,
students are required to research and write news stories on actual, timely
events. Further, there is a strong
emphasis on student-run publications and the importance of internships.
Dr. Hargrave indicates that I don't do an adequate job of wrestling with the topic...
Dr. Hargrave indicates that I don't do an adequate job of wrestling with the topic...
