Who Owns the Power to Control Communication
Some theorists seem to suggest that the power to control communication is held by the producers of messages whereas other theorists argue that the power to control interpretations of texts are held by the consumers of culture operating within specific cultural contexts. Which of these positions is true? Why?
It can be agreed to a large extent that the power to control interpretations of texts are held by the consumers of culture operating within specific cultural contexts. However, this is not to refute completely that producers of messages hold some power to control communication. Previous studies of the theories of communication provide the set of assumptions that the process of communication is actually one-way. On the other hand, modern studies by theorists such as Stuart Hall dispute the one-way model and instead feel that communication is a two-way street, even going so far to say that decoders in fact influence the encoder into producing a message that the audience wants to receive. They believe that the audience has a right to choose whether or not to consume the messages produced, and that they are selective. Also, different cultural upbringings of the consumer and the producer results in the difference in which a message is drawn from a text as compared to what the producer had anticipated for it to be. This implies that audience are active rather than being passive, that the decoders of texts are held in higher regard than the encoders. This essay aims to discuss the claim that the consumers hold the power to control interpretations over the producers of messages.
Earlier studies in communication all led to the supposition that communication was a linear one-way process, from the sender, to the receiver. According to the improved Shannon & Weaver’s Process Model of Communication, a message was sent from the information source through a transmitter, channel and a receiver to its destination, only later allowing for feedback to be directed to the
It can be agreed to a large extent that the power to control interpretations of texts are held by the consumers of culture operating within specific cultural contexts. However, this is not to refute completely that producers of messages hold some power to control communication. Previous studies of the theories of communication provide the set of assumptions that the process of communication is actually one-way. On the other hand, modern studies by theorists such as Stuart Hall dispute the one-way model and instead feel that communication is a two-way street, even going so far to say that decoders in fact influence the encoder into producing a message that the audience wants to receive. They believe that the audience has a right to choose whether or not to consume the messages produced, and that they are selective. Also, different cultural upbringings of the consumer and the producer results in the difference in which a message is drawn from a text as compared to what the producer had anticipated for it to be. This implies that audience are active rather than being passive, that the decoders of texts are held in higher regard than the encoders. This essay aims to discuss the claim that the consumers hold the power to control interpretations over the producers of messages.
Earlier studies in communication all led to the supposition that communication was a linear one-way process, from the sender, to the receiver. According to the improved Shannon & Weaver’s Process Model of Communication, a message was sent from the information source through a transmitter, channel and a receiver to its destination, only later allowing for feedback to be directed to the