I was watching the news on Channel 5 when i realized that the news is a very good example of how the linear model is being used and applied in our society. As what we have learned in our communication lesson, it's source-centered. Thus, it is extremely effective in conveying messages to the large population of Singapore through the method of broadcasting. In a way, Channel 5 acts as a medium which analyze and reformat the news to make them more presentable and acceptable to the Singapore population.
I am not really sure about this, but i think that Channel 5 has been trying to convert itself from using a linear model to an interactive model. Well, it's not totally interactive. However, the fact that they encourage feedbacks through emails or phone calls shows that they are trying to make communication two-ways. Connecting to the audience is an essential part of being a news provider as they are the ones who interpret the information sent to them, process it, and then transmit it to us, the Singaporeans.
Looking deeper into the news, one can realize that our perception of certain news reports can be shaped based on how they are presented to us. It's undeniable that television broadcasting can be biased in many ways. Thus, i believe that when we watch the news, we have to keep an open mind so as to ensure that we do not jump to conclusions based on the initial schemas formed.
8 comments:
HI Zhong Wei! Amos here! Nice write up on the news that we often take for granted. It is true that the News is a good example of how certain media tools can be used to express certain messages to the public audience. An interesting point noted in your article is that of how a certain piece of information can be expressed very differently using a various array of communication tools to produce a desired effect. Talking about the interactive model, i think the news have turned its face onto the internet where such one to one interactions and be made. Another such example is where reporters from different parts of the globe use teleconferencing to deliver the news back home and showing live feed to the targeted audience. Talking about such tools in communications, i was wondering which of the four idols can we use to be more discerning to our local news? Please comment. :)
Thanks for pointing out the application of the idols in this context.
I believe that it's not about one of the idols, but more of an interconnection between them. Why do i say that? First of all, the news that we see and hear are usually processed in order to appeal to us. Thus, certain cultural aspects and beliefs are being imposed before these news are shown to us. Secondly, words are carefully chosen when conveying these news, which also points back to the fact that these news are processed before we see or hear it. Lastly, news are passed through the news editor before the actual broadcasting. In other words, no matter how we're getting the information, our perceived news are being processed to suit the "Singaporean taste". Therefore, i believe that the idols work hand-in-hand in this context.
"analyze and reformat the news". haha, singapore's just so "careful" in handling things, censorship and everything.. Many things happening in singapore are actually filtered and kept away from citizens in order not to tarnish the good impression we have for singapore.
Indeed the news is a linear model and assumes that when the message is sent the intended message is received. I believe the news has been reported in a manner that one can interpret the news correctly. The way they frame the content and the reducing the use of ambiguous language shows this. The addition of a news reporter to report the news gives additional non verbal cues. Their expression gives a good idea of the type of news they are reporting. Thus we will be able to interpret the news much correctly.
Good Job in using the news as the subject as it is closely related to our lives and a very good example of a linear model.
Hi Zhongwei!
I agree totally that we have to keep an open mind when listening to all these news. It is important to remain skeptical and not jump to conclusions based on the initial schemas formed. After all, part of communications that we learn is the idol of tribe whereby humans constitutes tend to have fallacies in thinking based on human nature.
In addition, by taking a stand of a social constructionist perspective, we also tend to define good communication as socially appropriate communication as what we have learnt. By doing this, we have lost the true meaning of the significance in news that are broadcast to us. News are most likely just another product given to humans to suit their likings.
Actually not only is the Channel 5 news modeling itself towards the interactive model, the Channel 8 news is doing the same thing. Both channels encourage viewers to send in their opinions on the respective discussion portals eg xin.sg Thus, it can be seen that the local media is trying to reach out to the younger audiences who may prefer to communicate on the interactive media platforms.
Thus it seems that this citizen journalism trend will be here to stay for quite some while.
The mass media shapes and dictates what is wishes to convey. It lays it on a platter so that viewers can absorb the message that is shown easily.
Thus, we should always take what we see on television with a pinch of salt. As for Channel 5 trying to be an interactive model, I would say it still has a lot more to work on, Channel NewsAsis already have programmes like "Blog TV" on getting viewers to SMS in during the show. Although it is a decent effort to get an interactive model going, we don't really see the hosts of the show responding to these SMS, it goes largely ignored.
The news does show a good example of the linear model of communication. Another good example would be newspapers and magazine publications in Singapore. They too, reformat news and present it in a form that can be understood on a national level.
I think a good example of how they are trying to be more interactive, would be via the use of blogs. All the news anchors on Channel News Asia have blogs, where they blog about the latest events and this encourages interaction from the audience.
Plus, the television show BlogTV, which was featured in either Channel News Asia or Arts Central, had comments from bloggers displayed on the right side of the screen, while the presenters discussed the topic of the day, which was featured on the left side of the screen. This allows the viewers to be part of a live show, and have a say in the topic of discussion.
Well, the Singaporean news channel, Channel News Asia, with all the other entertainment channels, plus the newspapers, magazines and radio stations all come under the same media umbrella. Thus, in terms of variety, we Singaporeans are not going to find much differentiation in the news reports we get, regardless of the medium.
Perhaps, a good way to expose ourselves to a less bias point of view would be to watch different media channels, perhaps BBC, CNN, etc. (Though, those channels would be biased to a certain extent too).
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