Means of communication or media are ways used by people to communicate and exchange information with each other as an information sender and a receiver. Diverse arrays of media that reach a large audience via mass communication are called mass media.
General information Many different materials are used in communication. Maps, for example, save tedious explanations on how to get to a destination. A means of communication is therefore a means to an end to make communication between people easier, more understandable and, above all, clearer. In everyday language, the term means of communication is often equated with the medium. However, the term "medium" is used in media studies to refer to a large number of concepts, some of which do not correspond to everyday usage.Daniel Brockmeier, Bild, Sprache, Schrift – Zum Sprachverständnis in der zeitgenössischen deutschsprachigen Bildtheorie, 2009, S. 15 ff., ISBN 3640575113
Means of communication are used for communication between sender and recipient and thus for the transmission of information. Elements of communication include a communication-triggering event, sender and recipient, a means of communication, a path of communication and contents of communication. The path of communication is the path that a message travels between sender and recipient; in hierarchies the vertical line of communication is identical to command hierarchies. Paths of communication can be physical (e.g. the road as transportation route) or non-physical (e.g. networks like a computer network). Contents of communication can be for example photography, data, graphics, language, or texts.
Means of communication in the narrower sense refer to technical devices that transmit information.Reinhold Sellien/Helmut Sellien (Hrsg.), Gablers Wirtschafts-Lexikon, 1988, Sp. 2875 They are the manifestations of contents of communication that can be perceived through the senses and replace the communication that originally ran from person to person and make them reproducible.Manfred Bruhn, Lexikon der Kommunikationspolitik, 2011, S. 64
History of the term Up until the 19th century the term "means of communication" was primarily applied to traffic and couriers and to means of transport and transportation routes, such as railways, roads and canals,Charles Franz Zimpel, Straßen-Verbindung des Mittelländischen mit dem Todten Meere …, 1865, S. 3 but also used to include post riders and stagecoachs. In 1861, the national economist Albert Schäffle defined a means of communication as an aid to the circulation of goods and financial services, which included, among other things, newspapers, telegraphy, mail, courier services, remittance advice, invoices, and bills of lading.Albert Schäffle, Die Nationalökonomie, 1861, S. 243
In the period that followed, the "technical means of communication" increasingly came to the foreground, so that as early as 1895 the German newspaper "Deutsches Wochenblatt" reported that these technical means of communication had been improved to such an extent that "everyone all over the world has become our neighbor".Deutsches Wochenblatt, 8. Jg., 1895, S. 349
Not until the 20th century was the term medium also a synonym for these technical means of communication. In the 1920s the term mass media started to become more popular.
Different types A distinction can be made between oral, written, screen-oriented transfer of information and document transport:Verlag Dr. Th. Gabler (Hrsg.), Gabler Büro-Lexikon, 1982, S. 156
verbal transfer of information written transfer of information screen-oriented transfer of information Records transport speech, mobile phones, telephones letters, postcards, telex Bildschirmtext, webcam couriers intercom fax online chat, email, presentation programs, SMS, MMS, teletext conveyor belt message in a bottle virtual assistant teletex remote data transmission pneumatic tube two-way radio, radiotelephones computer terminals satellite radio carrier pigeon
In this table means of communication are mentioned that are no longer used today.
Furthermore, a distinction can be made between: natural communication: nonverbal communications: applause, gestures, facial expressions (social means of communication); flag signs; language: communication forms such as meetings, discussions; technical communication: writing systems and drawings as data storage of language; Email, fax, teletype, mobile phones, mass media, SMS/MMS, telephone, webcam. Means of communication in the narrower sense are those of technical communication.
In companies (businesses, agencies, institutions) typical means of communication include documents, such as analyses, business cases, due diligence reviews, financial analyses, forms, business models, feasibility studies, scientific publications, and contracts.
Natural means of communication The means of natural communication or the "primary medias" (see Media studies) include: Speech and other mouth-formed sounds, e.g. screaming; Sign language using hand or body movements, e.g. winking; Other non-verbal means of communication include clothing (see dress code) and other forms of appearance, as well as different accentuations in the living, food and construction culture.
Technical means of communication with hands or technical aids written characters on paper or another substrate as a writing medium (letter, message); Printed media produced with the help of printing technology; Playback of sounds or images (in Image MediaBernd Weidenmann, Lernen mit Bildmedien: Psychologische und didaktische Grundlagen, Beltz/Weinheim, 1991.) by record players such as tape recorders and projectors for slide shows or movies; Transmission of speech by telephone or writing by telegraph, mostly to a single addressee; satellite radio.
Communication theory
Means of communication are often differentiated in models of communication: in terms of reaching and determining the target audience of a means of communication, whether individual communication, group communication and mass communication; in terms of the technical components in natural and technical means of communication; in terms of the components of speech in verbal and nonverbal communication.
Media as a means of communication in the future will be distinguished: by data storage, broadcasting media and processing media, especially to record, reproduce and reduplicate media content. by primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary media, depending on the technology used by sender and recipient.
Mass media
Mass media refers to reaching many recipients from one – or less than one – sender simultaneously or nearly simultaneously.
Transmission of information via printing products in diverse forms (book, pamphlet, xerography, poster, mail merge, newspaper) Transmission of language, music or other sound radio waves (radio broadcasting) Transmission of visual image and sound via radio wave (television) The most up-to-date means of communication in a long chain of innovation is the Internet Due to their wide dissemination, mass media are suitable for providing the majority of the population with the same information.
Electronic media
Developments in telecommunications have provided for media the ability to conduct long-distance communication via analog and digital media:
Analog telecommunications include some radio systems, historical telephony systems, and historical television broadcasts. Digital telecommunications allow for computer-mediated communication, telegraphy, computer networks, digital radio, digital telephony and digital television.
Modern communication media include long-distance exchanges between larger numbers of people (many-to-many communication via email, Internet forums, and telecommunications ports). Traditional broadcast media and mass media favor one-to-many communication (television, cinema, radio, newspaper, magazines, and social media).
Social media Electronic media, specifically social media have become one of the top forms of media that people use in the twenty-first century. The percent of people that use social media and social networking outlets rose dramatically from 5% in 2005 to 79% in 2019. Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook are the most commonly used social media platforms. The average time that an individual spends on social media is 2.5 hours a day. This exponential increase of social media has additionally caused a change in which people communicate with others as well as receive information. About 53% use social media to read/watch the news. Many people use the information specifically from social media influencers to understand more about a topic, business, or organization. Social media has now been made part of everyday news production for journalists around the world. Not only does social media provide more connection between readers and journalists, but it also cultivates the participation and community amongst technical communicators and their audiences, clients, and stakeholders.
Gaming
Online The gaming community has grown exponentially, and about 65% have taken to playing with others, whether online or in-person. Players online will communicate through the system of microphone applicability either through the game or a third-party application such as Discord. The improvements upon connectivity and software allowed for players online to keep in touch and game instantaneously, disregarding location almost entirely. With online gaming platforms it has been noted that they support diverse social gaming communities allowing players to feel a sense of belonging through the screen.
Age Gaming is an activity shared amongst others regardless of age, allowing for a diverse group of players to connect and enjoy their favorite games with. This helps with creating or maintaining relationships: friendships, family, or a significant other.
Ratings and content As with most interactive media content, games have ratings to assist in choosing appropriate games regarding younger audiences. This is done by ESRB ratings and consists of the following: E for Everyone, E for Everyone 10+, T for Teen, and M for Mature 18+. Whenever a new game is released, it is reviewed by associations to determine a suitable rating so younger audiences do not consume harmful or inappropriate content. With these ratings it helps the risks and effects of gaming on younger audiences because the exposure of media is believed to influence children's attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.
Reach The usage and consumption of gaming has tremendously increased within the last decade with estimates of around 2.3 billion people from around the world playing digital and online video games. The growth rate for the global market for gaming was expected to grow 6.2% towards 2020. Areas like Latin America had a 20.1% increase, Asia-Pacific - 9.2%, North America - 4.0%, and Europe -11.7%.
Communication Studies show that digital and online gaming can be used as a communication method to aid in scientific research and create interaction. The narrative, layout, and gaming features all share a relationship that can deliver meaning and value that make games an innovative communication tool. Research-focused games showed a connection towards a greater usage of dialogue within the science community as players had the opportunity to address issues with a game with themselves and scientists. This helped to push the understanding of how gaming and players can help advance scientific research via communication through games.
vBook
A vBook is an eBook that is digital first media with embedded video, s, graphs, tables, text, and other useful media.
E-Book
An E-book combines reading and listening media interaction. It is compact and can store a large amount of data which has made them very popular in classrooms.
Regulations