Mode and Media for Communication

INTRODUCTION :

The transmission and interchange of ideas, facts, feelings, or courses of action is known as the communication.

No individual or organization can survive without communication. All the activities we pass through in life pass through communication. Right from the birth when a child communicates its arrival by crying till the end of the life we keep on trying to communicate. The better one communicates, the greater are its chances of quick progress.

We observe that the people at the pinnacle of their profession generally have excellent communication skills.

MODE OF COMMUNICATIONS :

There are various modes used by living being since ancient time to communicate. When the languages were not properly developed it is believed that the human was communicating by signs or acts. In a communication the sender encodes the message and sends it through a channel. This channel is nothing but the language used - words, actions, signs, objects etc.

The receiver receives the message, decodes it and acts on it. The transmission of the receiver’s response to the sender is called feedback. Feedback is essential, it is the barometer of effective communication.

Essentials of effective communication are :

                                      A common communication environment

                                      Co-operation between the sender and the receiver

                                      Selection of an appropriate channel.

                                      Correct encoding and decoding of the message.

                                      Receipt of the desired response and feedback.

Different Modes of Communication :

A message can be communicated in various modes :

                                            Oral / Verbal

                                             Written

                                             Symbolic / Visual

One can communicate by either one of these or combinations of these.

Traffic signals on the road are symbolic way of communicating if people are allowed to pass or wait.

A dancer uses various mudras to make expression for communicating verses of the poem.

In both the above cases sender and receiver of the symbol understand same meaning. Red signal means to halt, Green to move.

Both the above are examples of Symbolic or visual mode of communication, yet there is a difference in the above two methods. First is using electrical media and the second is using a manual media.

Meaning this, different modes may need some media or channel to communicate. Selection of media or channel depends on various factors, form, distance, availability of resources etc.

Oral or verbal communication is most widely used. Two persons facing each other may use simple words and communicate easily. But for the persons at more distance there might be need of a loud speaker Yet if more is the distance they might need telephone or a mobile as media to communicate.

Written mode is assumed to be most authentic mode of communication. The biggest advantage of the written communication is that alertness of sender and receiver at the same time is not always required. Receiver can read at per its convenience.

Most popular media for the written mode are books, periodicals, newspapers and now a days SMS and internets.

To make communication effective more than one type of communications are mixed. Audio-Video communication last longer impression on the minds of the receiver.

A student learns more easily in the class room than by reading a text book as the teacher in class room uses combination of different modes. Teacher would write important notes on the black board and then explain the same orally and may use models to further elaborate the fundamentals.

So we conclude that effective communication need choice of right mode and media.