Gerbner’s Model
Mr. George
Gerbner is one of the pioneers in the field of communication research. His
works are descriptive as well as very easy to understand any other before. He
is working as a professor and head of the Annenberg School of Communications in
the University of Pennsylvania. In 1956,
Gerbner attempted the general purpose of communication models. He stressed the
dynamic nature of communication in his work and also the factor which affecting
the reliability of communication.
(Note: This
model can be best understood when read along with the diagram beginning at E –
Event.)
(i) Perceptual
Dimension:
An ‘E’ is an
event happens in the real life and the event content or message is perceived by
‘M’ (Man or a Machine). After Perceives the message from “E” by “M” is known as
“E1”. E1 is not same as like ‘E’. Because any man or machine can’t perceives
the whole event and they perceives only the part of the event (E1). This is
known as “Perceptual Dimension”.
These 3 factors
are involves between ‘E’ and ‘M’
• Selection
• Context
• Availability
M (man or
machine) cannot perceive the entire content of the event “E”. So M selects the
interesting or needed content from the entire event and filtering the
others. The context occurs in the event
and Availability is based on ‘M’s attitude, mood, culture and personality. (For
eg. How a journalist perceives the messages from the event and also can’t focus
the whole event so they filter the unwanted or unrelated content from the
event. This filtered content is not same as like the actual event content
because the journalist edits the content based on his attitude, mood and
cultural background or press policies).
(ii) Means and
Controls dimension:
E2 is the event
content which is drawn or artified by M. Here M becomes the source of a message
about E to send someone else. M creates a statement or signals about the
message and Gerbner termed its Form and content as “SE2”. S (Signal or Form) it
takes and E2 (Man’s content). Here Content (E2) is structured or formed (S) by
‘M’ and it can communicate in a different ways or based on the structured ways.
M has to use
channels (or media) over to send the message which he has a greater or lesser
degree of control. The question of ‘control’ relates to M’s degree of skill in
using communication channels. If using a verbal channel, how good is he using
words? If using the Internet, how good is he at using new technology and words?
This process can
be extended to infinitum by adding on other receivers (M2, M3etc.) who have
further perceptions (SE3, SE4 etc.) of the statements about perceived events.
Important Note:
Message at every
level is altered or changed.
Example:
In case of news
reporting, E can be any event that has happened and the reporter (M) selects a
particular part of event (E1) that may be provide his channel higher TRP
ratings or the news may boost the particular party which his channel supports.
This SE2 is sent through a medium to the mass audience. Then the audience distributed
the message (SE2) and he (M1) sends to his friends with his interpretation and
the process continues.
No comments:
Post a Comment