AGES AGO THE GREAT COMMUNICATOR, MARSHALL MACLUHAN, IS REPORTED TO HAVE SAID, " MEDIUM IS THE MESSAGE ". HE HAD PROBABLY SAID THIS BECAUSE, AT THAT TIME, THE CHOICE OF MEDIA WAS RESTRICTED.
THE MEDIA AVAILABLE THEN WAS NOT AS DISTINCT AND DIVERSE AS NOW. AT THAT TIME THE CHOICE OF THE RIGHT MEDIUM AND PROBABLY A NEWER MEDIUM WAS CRUCIAL BECAUSE COMMERCIAL MESSAGES WERE ELEMENTARY. THUS TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, THE MEDIUM WAS THE MESSAGE.
BUT TODAY, WHEN I HEAR SENIOR PROFESSIONALS SAY THAT MEDIUM IS THE MESSAGE, I WONDER HOW MANY OF THEM REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY ARE UTTERING. ON BEING PROBED FURTHER EACH ONE HAS A DIFFERENT INTERPRETATION OF THE STATEMENT.
IN TODAY'S CHANGED SCENARIO THE STAEMENT IS TOTALLY UNTRUE. IT IS A MYTH.
ARE THESE PEOPLE, WHO ADVOCATE THE STATEMENT, TRYING TO TELL US THAT THE COMMUNICATIONS MEDIA IS MOIRE IMPORTANT THAN THE MESSAGE CRAFTED FOR ADVERTISING OR PUBLIC RELATIONS?
A COMMUNICATIONS MEDIUM COULD BE IMPORTANT IN THE CONTEXT OF ITS TARGET GROUP. FOR EXAMPLE, CINEMA IS LARGELY PATRONISED BY TEENAGERS. SO IT MAKES SENSE TO SCHEDULE COMMERCIAL MESSAGES AIMED AT YOUNGER AUDIENCE IN CINEMA RATHER THAN TELIVISION. BECAUSE MORE OFTEN THAN NOT THIS GROUP DOES NOT GET ENOUGH TIME TO BE AT HOME TO WATCH TELEVISION.
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