Communication theory and its relevance to communication research

S. Ganesh – HOD, i/c Journalism, HCAS

The theory is essential to know a subject what it is where is it going and how it’s important and the like and it plays a role in research.  To get into research, we need to know that theory building is an integral part of the study. 

Joseph Clapper wrote on communication research based on his theoretical understanding of how organization such as CBS uses communication in its day-to-day work.

Communication theory is essential in communication research as Steven Renshaw, a former professor of the University of Southwestern Louisiana, talked of psychology and sociology importance in communication theory in his lecture to students.

Communication theory does not exclude phenomenological studies or humanities orientation but does not include non-science concepts. 

What a night club spiritual person says may not be proven based on western rationalism and science is more wedded to in communication theory and research in Indian Theory of communication according to JS Yadav or Tiwari is like Indian dance communication and modes and in this process meanings and messages are explained. There is certainly an order but is more qualitative, unlike the western theory of communication that is more quantitative.

Mass media theories are relevant as a powerful model, or hypodermic needle theory says media messages are injected into the bloodstream, but this is proven false.

However, in age as coronavirus, we can expect words may have a powerful impact.  The limited view of media that says media messages have little effect is also discarded in a way, and we are in the moderate model of impact of mass communication

Content analysis is proven to be a powerful methodology of mass communication as in a conservative age as today when Playboy magazine stopped its printed version and switched to online one content analysis can do many things. 

Cartoon violence has been studied in the US as Saturday morning is full of cartons on TV and reveals these affect.  We have also considered video games violence and others in the 2000s and these also affect the whole.

Media exert powerful influence to some extent as PM Modi speaks to the audience on his government and his policies reaching people PM Modi received President Trump warm-heartedly and its spread throughout the world through media.

Media can make or mar a person as president as we have seen how the Washington Post created Nixon and was responsible for his down fall. Janardhan Thakur wrote all PM’s men reflecting Indira Gandhi period as he saw all the Presidents men was about American President at that time.

Communication theories explain media’s effects as media are responsible forces in society. The fall of communism in Russia and glasnost or perestroika reflect that culture and media there reflect the ongoing changes and how it gets to cope with those. 

Media theories explain media and society as Robert Picard, a professor at LSU, describes how media affect a community in question as he studied eastern and western media effectively.  Travelling to several countries and living in Europe most of the time Dr Picard’s writings centre on his experiences and how media as the internet could play a role international communication and libertarian perspective of media etc. 

Media theories reflect media and society at any given point of time some times, and the emergence of America as number one superpower and growth education technology and society have been dominating themes prevalent today.  The importance is given to private orientation and success of America private education sector, technology and all others as second have been dominating us.

Until the outbreak of coronavirus that took the west by surprise and other nations excluding China and Iran, this has been the dominating theme. 

The success of private-sector education and technology have been eulogized but when Coronavirus broke out in large number in Europe and less in Russia this stream of thought received set back.  Even in Russia, this stream of thinking is going on perhaps.  This is declared as American century and for American values of materialism, but the disease outbreak seems to be stopping.

Dr Doug Birkhead, a former professor of Journalism at Louisiana State, made his students listen to Noam Chomsky’s lecture in Baton Rouge in 1985  whom he said as leftist.  He died at the young age of 58 in Utah of cancer as others killed in his country known for theory and media law unable to cope up with the right onslaught.

It takes some people by surprise when Republican presidents often speak of the glory of man as the present one as Trump does, but it leaves no question America is a capitalist private sector-oriented society takes pride in education technology private goods and buildings and the  like,

The sentiment of people must have been so huge so that exploitative product as Playboy could be made to switch to online to a few and president Trump should also be credited to this effort,

American society seems to undergo a leftist kind of orientation during Republican presidents taking pride in man and achievements in an age which is wedded to machine glory of capitalism education and the private sector. 

Republicans serve as a balance between man and machine with fewer or one marriage and lending a helping hand to those who are in needy and saving themselves from worst cancer disease enacting glory of rule of al opposed to a few.