The Changing Landscape of Communication

A blog by Zyril Jeff De los Angeles, Ma. Sheena Danica Bonites, and Kate Echanohaurique

[sociospeaks]

Digital Scrapbook

Foreword

The Filipinos are known to be a lot of things. Dating back from history up until the present, our identity has been constructed by different factors such as our history and several phenomena that are happening today. In our history, we were colonized multiple times and at present, Filipinos are surely known around the world given that we have Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in various countries. It has also become a factor in further spreading our culture and identity to foreign countries and at the same time, it gets to be reshaped as well. 

As we observe how our identity has changed, this is largely molded by mass media and other emerging contemporary platforms. Media channels to its target audience the portrayals of our identities but it sometimes misrepresents these. Filipinos are described as resilient, God-fearing, respectful, and were always willing to help out other people or what we refer to as the bayanihan spirit. Furthermore, these stereotypes are immensely influenced by social institutions, specifically family, education and the state. 

- Zyril Jeff De los Angeles, Kate Echanojaurique, Ma. Sheena Danica Bonites

Filipinos in Pageantry

The famous national costume ensemble named LuzViMinda, worn by Catriona Gray during the Miss Universe 2018 pageant gained a lot of affirmations and praises. The costume vividly represents the culture of the three main island groups of the country, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao and from where the acronym, LuzViMinda is derived from. Espoused on its details, Gray wore a nude bodysuit with an intricate pattern of the Pintados in Visayas, a giant parol paitned with the colors of the Philippine flag representing the province of Pampanga in Luzon, and the T’boli headpiece and brass accessories that give pride to the rich heritage of the Mindanaoan people. In addition, the back story of her national costume also set the crowd in awe when it visually narrated the history and traditions of the country.

In my opinion, Gray’s national costume has represented detailed our Filipino identity. The well-researched gave a holistic illustration of the country by including all the major trademarks of each island group.

Photo Courtesy: https://www.pep.ph/lifestyle/fashion/38618/catriona-gray-national-costume-at-miss-universe-2018-is-called-luzviminda

The Legendary EDSA Traffic

I could still remember last year when my cousin went home here in the Philippines from Canada. Living there in Canada since birth, she had no idea what the actually country looks like except for some photos that she can see in the internet and television. When we had our conversation, she kept asking me what are the reasons of heavy traffic congestions in Metro Manila and I can barely answer this thing because I never experienced being in Manila specially amidst the stressful EDSA traffic.

Many online platforms usually associate Philippines with traffic congestions. We cannot even blame these agencies of doing so because maybe when they had their vacations in the country, this traffic took up a large portion of their time that caused them a lot of delays and postponement of their plans. However, representing the country as a major traffc congestion hub in the world is a little bias and unfair. There are a lot of cities and provinces outside Metro Manila that traffic is not a major problem. In fact, Philippines has a lot to offer, not just stress from being stuck in EDSA.

Photo Courtesy: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/06/covid19-traffic-congestion-interactive-tool/ World Economic Forum

Filipino Resiliency

In this photo, the smile of Filipinos can be evidently seen despite the disaster everyone is experiencing. The spirit of resiliency and bayanihan-- being strong and optimistic despite being in the middle of a harsh time was something being adored about us. I agree that we definitely possess these traits. As a Filipino myself, this something I have observed personally, in the news, and something that I have experienced as well. Filipinos are definitely strong and helpful. Tourists that come visit the country are very amazed with our hospitality as well. However, this commendable strength and resiliency is often too romanticized where we tend to settle for getting less than what we deserve. Furthermore, romanticizing this resiliency also lets us praise when we receive merely the bare minimum. Filipinos are indeed portrayed correctly in this photo but digging in deeper to the current scenario and effects of these traits, it opens up another perspective in our Filipino identity. 

Photo Courtesy: https://steemit.com/filipinoresilience/@iamrosallie/floods-in-the-philippines-filipino-resilience

Filipinos as Weak and “Uncivilized” during the Colonization Period

How the Filipinos were portrayed during the colonization period of the Spaniards and the Americans were definitely different compared to who our ancestors actually were. During the Spanish colonization, there weren’t any photos but there existed the written notes of Antonio Pigafetta. During the American colonization, photos were made and published on print media. Filipinos were portrayed by these colonizers as “weak” and “uncivilized” and in their perspective, the Filipinos during their time needed to be saved. During our History class, we studied about pre-colonial Fllipinos and it showed how our ancestors weren’t uncivilized. As a matter of fact, there was evidence of pre-colonial Filipinos having a culture of their own. The Americans referred to the Filipinos as their “little brown brothers” that needed to be “saved” and taught the “proper way of living” or lifestyle. Pre-colonial Filipinos had different tribes, they had a lifestyle highly anchored on agriculture and nature. They also had practices and rituals being performed as a way of worship to nature-- the sea, the sun, the mountains, and the trees as examples. 

Although the colonization that our ancestors have experienced significantly affected our culture and identity in the present, there are common misconceptions on how our colonizers labelled pre-colonial Filipinos compared to how they actually were. As the saying goes, “History is written by the victors” and what’s written has become a conceived “truth”. There isn’t much known about pre-colonial Filipinos but one thing is for sure, there is much more yet to be discovered and they were way more than how they were described by the colonizers in their history books.

Photo Courtesy: Lasco, G. (2018). "Little Brown Brothers" [Photograph]. Ateneo De Manila University. https://muse.jhu.edu/article/705492/pdf

Filipinos as being “Religious”

The image pertains to the thousands of Santo Niño devotees attending the mass for the feast of Santo Niño de Cebu. As we know, the Philippines is unique among its neighbors in the South East Asian region since it is the only Christian nation in Asia, where the majority of Filipinos are identified as Christian (92.5%). More specifically, 82.9% of the population identify as Catholic, 2.8% identify as Evangelical Christian, 2.3% identify as Iglesia ni Kristo and 4.5% identify with some other Christian denomination. Of the remaining population, 5.0% identify as Muslim and 2.5% identify with some other religion (The Cultural Atlas, 2021).

The denomination of Christianity that became most embedded in Filipino culture is Catholicism, which was introduced in the Philippines during the Spanish colonization era. Catholic ideas continue to inform beliefs throughout Filipino society such as the sanctity of life and respect for hierarchy. Also, there is a strong presence of Protestant traditions in the Philippines because of the American colonization of the country. Furthermore, tracing back the history, during the pre-colonial era, Filipinos already had their belief system consisting of a pantheon of gods and goddesses, spirits, creatures, and nature such as the streams, trees, mountains, rocks, and even the weather that are worshiped by our ancestors.

For instance, for many Filipinos, the time of ‘fiesta’ is regarded as an important event within the community. During the Catholic event of fiesta, the local community comes together to celebrate the special day of the patron saint of a town or ‘barangay’. Fiesta is a time for feasting, bonding, and paying homage to the patron saint. Also, many Filipinos devote their lives among patrons and saints. In fact, they even risk their lives just to attend the feast of that saint. Moreover, on a normal day scenario, Catholic iconography is certainly evident throughout the Philippines. Indeed, it is common to find churches and statues of various saints all throughout the country. Moreover, many towns and cities are named after saints (for example, San Miguel located in Luzon and Santa Catalina located in Visayas). Furthermore, in almost all corners of every Filipino home, you can find brazen images of crosses and other religious paraphernalia. Filipino families go to church every Sunday, or sometimes even twice or three times a week. The Philippines is also known for its longest Christmas celebration. Nonetheless, religion is an important social institution that has shaped the lives of many Filipinos.  

Photo Courtesy: https://img.theculturetrip.com/1440x/smart/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/ecf2hc.jpg

Filipinos as being “Respectful”

Respect is a vital aspect of Filipino culture. Respect for one’s elder is traditional in the Philippines. At an early age, we are already taught how to be respectful by using the simple catchphrases – “po” and “opo” – to end the sentences when addressing elders. When a Filipino child meets an older family member, the youth customarily greet them with a gesture called “mano po”, taking the older relative’s hand and placing it on his or her own forehead to express profound respect for the elder, just like what is portrayed in the photo. Moreover, calling someone older than you by their first name is considered impolite and rude. As a sign of respect, Filipinos address anyone older than them using words such as ate, kuya, tita, tito, inay, itay, lolo, lola, mang, aleng, and many more.  In addition, Filipinos also establish respect in ways like, helping a person cross the street, inviting someone to dine in with them, kissing the hands of elders, and even greeting anyone any time of the day. As someone who have experienced living in a rural community, we have certainly observed that these acts and behavior are still being practiced by many Filipinos. Thus, this picture portrays Filipino identity correctly. However, because of globalization and migration, our culture has been at stake. Many youths nowadays particularly living in urbanized areas, where there is a greater access to western culture, barely know the polite way of addressing elders. Hence, this portrayal of the media serves as a wake up call for many Filipinos to preserve and restore this culture and tradition of ours. 

Photo Courtesy: https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/35888128255449304/

[sociospeaks]

Take a Selfie and Blog It! - Bonites

Taking selfies is one of the things that I do to make me feel good and confident about myself. When I post them on social media, I admit that I feel flattered to receive compliments and likes or reacts as validation from the public. The way I look may seem appealing and attractive to others while to some it may not. The selfies that I take do mirror a part of my self but not fully. Furthermore, the image that I seek to portray with my selfies can be manipulated given with the advent of technology in the modern world. There exists Photoshop and my favorites are the photo filters that social media apps like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat offers.

To be honest, I have always been very cautious of the selfies that I post. I also make sure to check my background, my outfit, my makeup, and then i try to ask myself—how will the public perceive me by seeing this selfie? Will the they think I’m cute and adorable? Or hot and sexy instead? My selfies showcase a part of myself as there are different facets of who I am. However, if my social media friends assume they know me well because of how they see my photos then they are truly wrong. My photos reveal only a shallow part of who I really am. To add, it can also be easily manipulated to create the assumption that I want to make. There are times where I edit my photos to make my skin look clear, add filters, adjust my face shape and add designs on the background to fit the society’s standards of “beautiful” or “pleasing” to their perspective. In my photos shown above, I used a filter in some of them to fit the aesthetic of a vibe that I want to give off.

My selfies are definitely not a fair representation of myself. I believe that assuming you know a person well by looking at their photos is truly wrong. Still, nothing beats building the relationship and knowing them in a personal manner. People may think of me as soft and cute with my selfies and I think I am too. However, there are times when I am not and and there are different versions of me. They are a representation of me, but not all of me. It is merely a representation of a part of who I am.

- Ma. Sheena Danica Bonites

[sociospeaks]

Take a Selfie and Blog It! by Zyril Jeff De los Angeles

I think that there was a point in my life particularly during senior high school when I really loved taking pictures of myself specifically selfies. I was fond of documenting significant moments of my life and I found it therapeutic whenever I view my photos and edit them using my mobile apps. On these selfies, I believe that they truly reflect my personality. During those times, I was confident with my skin and I could freely pose on the angles that I would like.

However, everything has changed as years go by. I seldom took selfies because of my acne breakouts that I really found so disturbing on my photos. In situations that would require me to take a selfie, it would take me few hours before I post it on social media because I have to edit these photos that would make my acne marks and red spots unnoticeable. Therefore, I do not see now that my selfies are fair representations of myself. In fact, whenever I date someone, I proactively warn them that my skin is not that good similar on what they are seeing on my social media handles. I guess that I misinterpret myself on these photos because I give more important on the standards and expectations of my social environment than flaunting a facet of taking selfies which is to foster confidence and body positivity.

[sociospeaks]

Hmmm... 50 years from now?

Predict what communication and media would be like 50 years from now based on past and current trends in communication.

When I was young, I was really impressed by Ben’s (from Ben 10) watch that has hologram features. The idea is mesmerizing of having a device that creates a three-dimensional projection resulting in an image to have depth, parallax and other properties of the original scene.

Moreover, I could see this advancement of technology to exist fifty years from now. With modernized interference patterns in video calling like both ends can watch movies together through screen-sharing and do multitask on the same virtual space, it is not impossible to have a 3D picture of your friend or relative floating above your laptop while having video calls. In some instances, this could suffice the physical touch that families are longing from their loved ones abroad since they could finally hug each other with holograms. 

[sociospeaks]

Highlights: Evolution of Mass Communication

ORAL TRADITIONS

Oral traditions of communication played a significant role in forming society and its institutions. It is the foundation and is the first of our timeline in the evolution of mass communication. The oral traditions, which highly relied on language being spoken orally, have become a bearer of culture and have been passed on to generation from another by being spoken. Examples of it include storytelling, epics, and chants. Culture disseminated through oral traditions has become highly valued in the present since these are hard to preserve and are slowly dying in present society. With the emergence of new media, some cultures disregard and fail to pass on their culture, This case is usually present in Indigenous groups, where children who belong in the recent generation are unwilling to learn and pass their culture and literature.  

EARLY FORMS OF WRITING

From the oral traditions to the early form of writings, the danger of not being able to preserve information and culture has been erased. From information and culture being passed on orally, it has been involved in being written in form. Examples of these are cuneiform, scrolls, and ancient symbols. Early forms of writing and new media both still preserve information, but the only difference is the level of accessibility to information that these two forms have. Written forms are more expensive to create and harder to disseminate. Moreover, scrolls and ancient symbols are used to better reach out to the public. These have made preservation of culture very beneficial for today’s society because it has stored knowledge on how life was in the ancient times. The knowledge of the past has become a tool in guiding the facts of the present and the outcomes of the future. On the other hand, the new forms of media are very accessible to the masses and have made content production very easy. From the content creation only being available to those who hold power and gold in early forms of writing, new media has allowed content creation available to the masses and the power is focused into the collective action of the minority.

PRINT MEDIA | Paper to Mass Publication (newspapers, magazines, books, posters, etc.)

Paper can hold a substantial amount of information that aims to reach a vast number of potential audiences. Thus, it is found to be an essential medium for communication. Subsequently, because of its relevance, paper was utilized in the production of mass publication. 

Inherently, paper is intended to serve the masses, primarily as a larger means of communication. This was found to be correlated with the purpose and intentions of mass publication. Hence, this potential was refined, which has evolved from being typically for publications to other uses such as for advertisements, flyers and significantly more.

Paper is a versatile material that possesses a lot of uses that are significant in our everyday lives. Therefore, the society took advantage of these features and utilized paper in many ways which produced newspapers, magazines, posters, etc. Consequently, paper became a crucial and fundamental media not just only for information dissemination and entertainment, but as well it created a platform for individuals to progress in the field of literature.

BROADCAST MEDIA | Radio to Television

Radio allows news and music to be broadcast to many people simultaneously. However, despite radio being considered an essential media before, inventors aimed to send sound and pictures over the air. Thus, the invention of television was patented to turn sounds into visuals. It was not long before the inventors figured out how to broadcast pictures with the audio. As a result, radio was dethroned by television since it greatly conveyed widespread information (with visuals and audio combined) that the radio cannot offer.  

Radio, even up to this time still provides a great source of information primarily in far flung areas. However, compared to radio, there is an ample amount of work a television can offer. Televisions provide a more reliable source of information since, unlike with radios, television enables you to see visuals and images. Nonetheless, radio broadcasting only transmits audio, while television broadcasting transmits both audio and video, which is more convenient.

Television was found to be the major agent of social change in the 20th century that opened windows to the people and places that brought distant events directly into millions of homes. Moreover, it influenced the way people think about such important social issues that are prevalent in the society. It played a predominant role in the political process, mainly in shaping national election campaigns. Besides, television also provided entertainment. Nevertheless, television is a vital tool for us to inform and be informed about the trends in our society, may it be in politics, economy, lifestyle, and the likes. 

DIGITAL MEDIA AND THE INTERNET | World Wide Web and Social Media Platforms

Digital media and the internet play an integral role in connecting people across the globe-- separated with different time zones and geographical distances. Began as a platform in personal computers, the emerging media was integrated in mobile devices which can now perform numerous tasks. As time progresses, this was even developed and are now present in nanotechnologies who incredibly play various functions stored in a tiny device. 

The dissolving of boundaries and borders allowed cultural imperialism wherein there is a silent domination by large influential institutions of developed nations to the perceptions and practices of individuals located in the other side of the world. Nevertheless, it is believed now that this phenomenon is a facet of expansion as these countries widen their influence, power and control.

[sociospeaks]

Timeline of the evolution of mass communication: from the era of oral cultures to the present convergent (new) media.

[sociospeaks]

Evolution of Communication and Media

Compare and contrast the evolution of communication from orality to literacy and the evolution of media from traditional media to convergent media. What could be assumed (or predicted) for the future of media production and consumption and/or mass communication?

McLuhan (1964) categorized human history into three distinct eras pertaining to the means of communication. The first era is the oral tradition (or orality), which extends from the time humankind first acquired speech to the beginnings of literacy. Meanwhile, the second era is the age of literacy which encompasses the period from the invention of writing to the discovery of electricity. Moreover, the third communication era employs the electric flow of information which comprise the period from the first use of the telegraph in 1844 to the present (McLuhan, 1964).

On the other hand, media have four major stages in evolution, specifically: pre-industrial age, industrial age, electronic age, and the new media. The first three mentioned can be classified as new media, whereas media convergence started between electronic age to new media. The evolution was generated because of the yearn for innovation of human beings. Hence, on account of innovation, media has widely evolved as well. From traditional means of sending and mailing handwritten letters to the post office perse, we now have SMS and we can already chat through emails and other platforms with the aid of the internet. Thus, it is now faster, reliable, and efficient.

Nevertheless, the evolution of communication from orality to literacy and the evolution of media from traditional to convergent media are somewhat interconnected with each other. Both communication and media are concurrently innovating. Thus, as the media develops, it is likely possible that media production/consumption and mass communication would be more accessible for everyone. Furthermore, it would be easier for us to convey information across the globe. The world would become more linked with one another through various platforms generated on the internet. Hence, information can be smoothly accessed by anyone, anytime. However, despite its positive impacts, there are at the same time downsides to this. Our culture will primarily be at stake because foreign influences which are very much appealing specifically to the younger generations are circulating online. Also, our everyday lives became very much dependent on technologies and convergent media which in some way teaches us to be lazy because everything is just a click away. More importantly, broadcast industries are slowly being terminated because people rely on getting information primarily on the internet. In the same way, the spread of false information which is very common on the internet nowadays will worsen.

[sociospeaks]

Convergent Media Empowering Individuals

How do convergent media empower individuals to assert themselves in the bigger society?

The prevalence of convergent media in today’s society has indeed given individuals a chance to empower themselves by amplifying their voices. This was made possible by the emergence of social media which made reaching out to a big number of people easier.

Popular media sites at present are Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Its popularity and high number of users makes information dissemination easier and very accessible. This is something significant for individuals and groups that yearn to have their voices heard. This includes minority groups, or individuals coming from these groups like the urban poor, the indigenous peoples, and women among others. The wide gap between the rich and the poor is proof of the prevalent social inequalities in society.

Just like the story of David and Goliath, Goliath represents the big companies which may include the big corporations, the rich people, or the few elites. Meanwhile, David represents the ordinary people that are often perceived as powerless against intimidating, powerful, and influential people in society. The powerful elite holds the power to change and control society, including information through mass media. The majority of people don’t realize the power that they hold together. Through convergent media, it is a platform that gives the “weak” majority to emphasize their calls to the public. Convergent media has allowed the production and creation of content accessible to more people compared to how it is for traditional media. Producing content in the time of traditional media will require more costs and efforts. Meanwhile, new media makes it easier but also under the condition that an individual has access to technology and the Internet. The empowerment of the individual and other groups is gained through the ability to create influence in social media platforms and reaching out to a lot of people at once.

[sociospeaks]

Convergent Media

What constitutes a convergent media? How is it differentiated from traditional media? Would you consider convergent media under the categories of new? 

Convergent media has made significant impacts in our society. With mass media as one of the major social institutions in society, it has affected not just the information production and consumption, but also other social institutions.

This new platform is the combination of different media forms that cooperate together. Thus, making a new medium for information to be disseminated, received, and created. This includes the integration of traditional media like print, television, radio, cinema, books, and the integration of new media forms that include cell phones, social media, like Facebook and Twitter, blogs, E-books, and online newspapers. The emergence of convergent media is also a way of adapting to changes in society. With these combinations, social media platforms has emerged which changed the way of delivering information to an even wider audience.

Furthermore, this is different from traditional media because it is a result of digitization of media content and the spread of the Internet. Thus, content of information is easier to be preserved and serves better content quality. However, it may reduce the diversity of the content being shown. We do consider convergent media as new media

[sociospeaks]

Pros and Cons of Media Accessibility

Media is an integral part of our daily lives. Technical innovations like the printing press, the radio, the television, and the personal computer have created mass media, which are ways to communicate with vast numbers of people at the same time, usually over great distance. Mass media have developed in countless directions. There are books, television, computers, mobile phones, and a whole range of new digital media. New forms of mass media are constantly being developed. It entertains, educates, informs, and usually dictates the trends that manifests the popular culture of the present times. Basically, the media is a fundamental institution in society.

Meanwhile, the term accessibility denotes the extent to which an effort can be realized by the crowd or audiences. Media access refers to how digital, web and broadcast content can be used by various audiences. In present times, almost everyone – young or old – already have access to the media, specifically among the digital world. In fact, the media is everywhere, intruding in all aspects of our lives. We can access it in just a tap on our smartphones, tablets, and computers. Furthermore, media accessibility particularly nowadays is predominantly essential in our everyday lives. Today, life without the presence of mass media is unimaginable. However, mass media accessibility has its pros and cons.

The role that media plays in our society can be viewed using different sociological perspectives. The significance of media, as well as the pros of media accessibility can be viewed using a Functionalist lens. Media functions as entertainment. Moreover, the media, specifically social media, acts as an agent of socialization. It allows us to keep connected with other people and the society around us. Social networking sites such as Facebook, messenger, and the likes enables us to communicate easily with our family, friends, colleagues, and everyone in the community. Furthermore, the media enforces social norms. Media projects what the society expects of us, as well as what is acceptable and what is not, therefore you must adhere to it for you not to be labeled as deviant. It also functions to bring people together which integrates community building. It promotes compassion and empathy, primarily in times of crises. Also, media can give voice to the voiceless in a way that mass media can lift an individual voice that would otherwise have gone unheard.

On the other hand, despite all the significance of media in our lives, a Conflict lens would allow us to see the cons of media accessibility among individuals in the society. In spite media manifests a strong call for equality, it however amplifies divisions in the society, may it be based on race, gender, ethnicity, or social class which are commonly observed on the themes of books, movies, and TV shows. Furthermore, access to media can empower the already empowered, hence perpetuates inequalities in the society. It gives the minority groups such as those who are rich – and those connected with the rich – a louder voice than the rest of us which allows the tiny minority to seize power over the vast majority. Furthermore, media can also be used for disinformation since everything that is on the internet is not immediately true. There are also certain biases that the media propagates. Nonetheless, in a more personal approach, the media can cause addiction and it triggers insecurities which enhances one’s fear to be missed out on the trend, thus increases the risk for anxiety and depression. Also, engaging so much in social media contributes to bringing your privacy at risk.

Nevertheless, the media plays a very prominent role in our lives. Thus, a medium this large surely will also have an adverse impact on the society this large. Hence, let us be reminded that “moderation is the key”, and that we should be constantly mindful of how we utilize media, because if there are pros, cons are also present as well.

[sociospeaks]

Digitization of Videos

What does the digitization of videos mean for information producers and consumers? 

The impacts of digitization have paved the way for major changes in our society. Digitization is defined as the process of converting something to digital form (Merriam-Webster, n.d.). The digitization of videos has made it easier to preserve, access, and distribute information. This has also changed meanings and patterns for information producers and consumers.

The transition from analog to digital versions of videos has allowed individuals to experience consumption of information everywhere. Furthermore, information producers are able to improve the quality of content they produce.  They can make it accessible to a wider audience which will receive, or use the information to produce new content. Media has made information so accessible that anyone can actually be an information producer and consumer at the same time.

According to Olamilekan (2016), the digitization of media, including videos, has led producers and consumers of information to be as one. A person can easily create content as they consume information from others. This has led society to gain and preserve information like events and significant points in history available for future use. However, this also leads information consumers to be taught on how to be critical thinkers. The digitization of videos may misrepresent, and portray content which shapes how an individual thinks, perceives, and acts. If these portrayals are incorrect or mere stereotypes, it will affect the perception of society regarding a group, act, or object. 

In general, digitization of videos has allowed producers and consumers of information to have easier access, produce better quality, reach a wider audience, require less time and costs, store and produce information, and may lead to misinterpretations. This has largely impacted how we interact in society today but at the same time, it also teaches us to be wary of the information we choose to produce and consume.

References:

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Digitization. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved October 8, 2020, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/digitization

Olamilekan, A. I. (2016). Effects of Digitization on Media Product. Cyprus International University.

[sociospeaks]

Economic Factors in the Evolution of Media

What are the industrial or economic factors in the evolution of media from print to radio to television?

Change has been consistent throughout human history. In fact, the transition of media from print to radio to television to computers to smartphones clearly manifests change – which is constant over decades. The 21st century now revolves around the advancement of technology, and media as a product of technology plays a crucial role in our everyday lives. Media are significant means or tools for communication especially to a vast audience. Newspaper, radio, television, internet – are the notable examples out of the many forms of media. This serves as our way to connect to the scenarios of the world and informs us about certain things we wish to know. It can also be a good source of entertainment. Media has been one of the best things that has materialized.

The transition of media from print to radio to television is a clear indication of technological evolution. It is one of the factors that led a medium to be replaced by a more advanced one, which intends to perform a finer job with the previous ones combined. Moreover, technological innovation allowed an easier and fast-paced life where people could access information without any difficulty. In addition, television provides an easy avenue for advertising which at the same time gives an opportunity for industries to commercialize everything. Nonetheless, the most relevant factor in the evolution of media is for convenience. “Necessity is the mother of invention”. People are craving for convenience. Thus, industries’ goals are concentrated upon delivering the demands of the masses. However, not just only to bring convenience, but also for profit. 

[sociospeaks]

‘Media’ Model of Communication & Chirographic Condition

How does the ‘media’ model of communication show chirographic (i.e. writing) conditioning?

Models of communication are systematic representations of the process which enables us to understand how communication works. There are various methods and channels can be used, however, the purpose of communication must always be considered first before choosing a specific communication model. Communication channels include face-to-face communication, broadcast media, mobile channels, electronic communication, and written communication. Nowadays, as globalization paves its way, we are now living in a society that is strongly influenced by media – mass media or social media. Media is a communication whether written, broadcast, or spoken that reaches a large audience, has a significant influence in modern culture. Basically, the media is present everywhere around us.

Meanwhile, literacy comes from orality. Thus, chirographic conditioning signifies the shift from oral culture into the writing or literacy culture which has greatly influenced the communication process. The media model of communication manifests chirographic conditioning in a way that it transformed (oral) communication into texts. Moreover, these written or printed texts are used to relay information and reach a large audience. This kind of communication therefore is one-way in a sense that the sender or the encoder of the information publishes it with no present and actual receiver or concrete audience in mind. Thus, anyone can read or access whatever the sender has published. Meanwhile, on the receivers’ end, no one can right away respond or react to the information presented since there is no real intended receiver. Furthermore, since there is no real intended receiver, there is no actual platform for feedback. Basically, both media model of communication and chirographic conditioning treat communication as a one-way process with no real feedback mechanism. 

[sociospeaks]

Intersubjectivity, Media, and Communication

What does Walter Ong by the intersubjectivity of communication? How does this differentiate communication from media?

Intersubjectivity is the process and product of sharing experiences, knowledge, understandings, and expectations with other people (“Intersubjectivity, n.d.) In the context of communication, Walter Ong meant it as coming into terms with the person that you are communicating with. This is because both the sender and the receiver have a shared understanding of the same meanings and thoughts.

Moreover, communication is differentiated from the media because of how information is shared. Communication is a process that begins with a sender and ends with a receiver. It is important to take note that effective communication is a two-way process wherein both are able to express their own opinions and thoughts about a subject matter. Media on the other hand is only relaying information from the sender towards its receiver/s. In this situation, communication does happen but the exchange of information does not occur. It is merely a one way process, and the media is a communication outlet that does not pave the way to deeper discussions and information exchange.

In line with this, information being relayed through the media is objective in purpose. How it delivers its news is one example. Meanwhile, intersubjectivity deals with people. It is subjective and the subject matter is subject to an interpretation. However, we would like to emphasize that the meaning of things is not entirely dependent on the individual. Rather, it is a product of society’s cultures, subcultures, and norms that exist within it. Therefore, knowledge or information being relayed through the media is objective. But learning and how it is interpreted through communication is subjective. 

Reference:

Intersubjectivity. (n.d.). In Oxford Reference. Retrieved from https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100008603.

[sociospeaks]

Differences between Orality and Literacy

Walter Ong’s article on the Differences between Orality and Literacy gives a clearer picture of how these two elements separately and conjointly operate for humans and their relationship with their environment. In terms of grammar, written discourse develops a more elaborate and easy structure than of the orality’s. Clauses and sentences can be arranged well if written. Unlike in spoken that individuals promptly utter what thoughts pop in their minds. Time allows the organization of ideas and errors can be noticed fast if a person has a printed account with him/her.

Moreover, epithets or descriptive words are frequently utilized in oral expressions. These vocabularies help them to depict the phenomenon that people are trying to explain. When written, the author still has to process and select words that could best realize his/her concepts. In the process of writing, translation and code-switching are a few of the things that could alter the message of the text. For example in indigenous cultures, some things do not have an absolute equivalent in a foreign language. Thus, the author would resort to looking for the closest terms that he/she could associate with the indigenous expression.

Oral societies place themselves in equilibrium by casting off expressions that no longer have relevance in the present time. However, in print culture, books specifically dictionary serves as a collection of terminologies together with their respective definitions and there was a lot in there which bear no significance as of today. As communication and language are both dynamic, definitions and uses of words change over time. This may be brought about the changes in the social environment like technological advancement, policy reforms, and a lot more. For an instance, the term “phone” was referred to as a wired analog device that allows communication between two people in the means of calling only. On the other hand, this term evolved on how “phone” actually looks like and is used in the current time. Phones are now digital and multi-functional.

Notwithstanding these differences, orality and literacy are both significant in every aspect of contemporary society. In fact, language and communication become purposeful and effective when both are used. The essence of these two is not to know how one is more important than the other but how they could become a bridge in establishing strong social relationships and interactions among individuals.  

[sociospeaks]

Orality and Literacy

Language and communication, as cultural universals, are a few of the things that people and communities across the globe talk about and utilize in their everyday lives. Through communication, relationships among individuals and with their environment are established, as well as, culture is being learned. Communication shapes patterns and institutions in society and allows individuals to forge their identities, behaviors, and perceptions through the process of social interaction.

Moreover, orality and literacy are significant elements that we can inevitably pass as we journey in delving more about communication. Orality or the practice of oral traditions emerged on ancient civilizations and became repositories of how they understand occurrences in the environment and view themselves as part of the natural world. In some ways, orality also helped them for survival by communicating with their fellow tribe or community members about their observations in the environment and collaborate for a way to ensure their safety from the threat of other living species and natural disasters.

As time progresses, humans began to draw and write along with the age of literary storytelling. Civilizations assign meanings to characters and symbols for an effective communication process and safe-keeping. Since things spoken alone can easily be forgotten, a written account serves as a record for these individuals. In case there is a circumstance that requires them to recall what they were doing or talking about in the past. This innovation in forms of communication paved the way to social developments and advancements, from oral traditions to formal educational institutions, from Gutenberg’s printing press to this “one chat away” of today.

There have been debates concerning whether literacy is better than orality and vice versa. While inferiority is associated with oral traditions and there is the high regard in literacy. Despite these, they have their differences and similarities that if combined, would create a harmonious communication process wherein parties involved mutually understand one another.