Medium Theory

Analysis of Contemporary Communications Technology through Medium Theory



Analysis of Contemporary Communications Technology through Medium Theory

Introduction

Medium Theory is primarily associated with the exploration of influence that could be generated by communication technologies upon cultures or societies (Marvin 1988). Medium does not only denote facilitator designed for the purpose of information dissemination or channel intended for the transfer of information but rather, it is an element of significant influence in that it is involved in the shaping of social environment consistently in a constructive way (McLuhan 2005; Winston 1998). Oral, writing, printing, in addition to electronic media were primarily only restricted to the studies at micro and macro levels, where micro level indicates individual and macro is considered as aligned with the cultural studies (Winston 2005). The properties as the speed of information transfer, volume of people it influences and nature in terms of it being uni or bi-directional were essentially considered as being restricted to a narrower area in terms of studies (Marvin 1988). The proponents of the Medium Theory however emphasizes that they reconstructed and rewrote the history pertaining to civilisation following the perspective aligned with the medium theory. Thus medium theory shaped human civilisation in terms of creating traditional oral media, modern print media, and electronic global societies, particularly through dominant media coupled with their epistemologies or ways of human knowledge (Winston 1998). This manifests in print media in which writing or printing led towards the development of analytical thinking, also known as linear thinking, and in doing so drastically altered the progression of evolution (Marvin 1988). It changed the phenomenon of redefinition, growth, dissemination of information and knowledge, creation of nation, Science and Industrial Revolution among significant others (Levinson 1999).

Discussion

Marshall McLuhan is one of the known classical medium theorists who have significantly enriched the discourse that is found as attached with media through the introduction of aphoristic phrases, one among which is 'The medium is the Message', 'Hot and Cool Media and 'Medium is the extension of man' (McLuhan 2005). The significance and importance of these phrases could be determined from the fact that they have become proverbial. N. Postmen in 'Amusing ourselves to Death'; the book he released in the year 1996 rightly indicates the pitfalls inherent in the electronic age are controlled primarily by the epistemology of TV medium. The relevance of used medium to attain stylistically based observation indicates inability to question as the properties possessed by individual media not only facilitate selection of codes but also highlight formal characteristics pertaining to messages in addition to the conventions that guides their usage (Negroponte 1995). This could be reflected in the usual employment of a casually drafted message that is sent through electronic mail as it usually incorporates the usage of verbal coding for writing the text, nonverbal coding for insertion of emoticons, acronyms or abbreviations as shorthand to save time; which is the forte of electronic messaging and communication, and iconic signs (Negroponte 1995). This exhibits the usage of conventions that are ...