Lecture 3 - Communication Theory

The Shannon Weaver Mathematical Model (1949) was created for a physical communication through the medium of the telephone, however, it is widely accepted as one of the basic models for any communication.

In terms of the telephone, the source of the message is the person making the call, the message is then coded by the telephone, and transported through the telephone exchange and network to the receiving phone which then decodes the message into the receivers earpiece.

Noise in this sense would be physical noise like like a broken or crackly line which could interrupt or damage the quality of the message, The severity of the noise would dictate wether the initial message was decoded and received correctly.

In terms of visual representation we can use this image as an example;

Diane Arbus, the photographer is the source of the information, it is her ideals and views that are being communicated.

She encodes this by the way she chooses to communicate those ideas; the way she takes the picture, the subject choice.

The channel chosen is a visual channel in the photographic mendium. Displayed in various settings, through books, gallery settings etc.

The receiver receives the image and interprets this to receive the message.

Noise could be anything that could potentially interrupt or damage the communication of Arbus's message.

In this case, time, the political and social setting of the viewer

Their own beliefs & views of society

The channel could also provide noise - Ina gallery how much other visual image is displayed around the piece which could influence the viewers reading of the image.

I have found these other models which apply equally as well.

 Feedback ensure the right message is being received by the destination receiver - in terms of modern culture this could be focus groups, feedback questionnaires and panels.

This model is more in-depth and adapts the basic model to fit more than technological literal messages  - and explains further where noise could affect the integrity of the message.

In considering this model in my own work, I must be aware of the potential noise that may distract, either within the image or within the setting that the image is shown. That the things around us influence how we interpret visual messages, and that people own experiences, attitudes and beliefs will also have an impact on how they view the world.

In you take noise in a literal sense, the way we would overcome it in language, is to shout, and the same applies with visual communication. A large volume of images communicating the same thing can fight the noise around them, using the same message over and over is a method more easily seen in advertising, and is known as redundant messaging.

Some examples of this are;

We buy any car .com adverts on radio & TV, the name of the company really says everything they do, yet songs and jingles are used to repeat the phrase over and over again, if the reciever did dot successfully decode the message the first, third or forth time in the first ad, the third or fourth reception of the advert will ensure that the desired message has been received 'loud and clear'

Domestos bleach uses the same method. The products kill germs dead! Two words that are not required in combination to relay the message, if something is killed, it is dead. This is reinforced by the slamming down of the bottle, and backed up by images of the liquid in action and computer generated 'evil' germs being killed.

The opposite of redundant messaging is entropic - easily seen in art, but still something employed throughout visual media, is Entropic.

Entropic messaging works to convey complex issues, there may be multiple symbols/signs within one image, each one communicating a different message or view. With entropic imaging there is a chance that the original message with not be correctly decoded by the receiver.

Photography -  Tim Hetherington example

Photographer - Source of information or message

He encodes by choosing the way he takes the images, the lighting/framing/tones all come in to play in the way he chooses to share and depict the message

Chanel - the medium of display (the image itself, the book if it were published, the gallery walls that display it, the camera)

Viewer - receives and interprets the message based on their own understanding, background & education.

Noise in this case could be:

• the environment in which the image is displayed (the internet is overcrowded with image & information and gallery walls display other works in close proximity)
• Other people, giving their views on the image

Volume fights noise, so these images could have been displayed on a huge scale, or been shocking, or repetitive in order to combat any noise.

Redundant Messaging

In this model, the viewer is subjected to the same message over and over.

domestos Bleach is a good example - Kills all known Germs Dead is not proper english, nor is it the way we speak. If something is killed it 'is' dead, yet the wording reinforces itself. The bottle is slammed down in a show of strength. The product seen in use with graphic 'evil' armies of 'germs' dying on contact.

In redundant messaging, there can often be actual 'shouting' to make sure the viewer is listening.

Feedback

How does one know if the right message has got through?

In the case of TV and advertising, feedback, forums and focus groups are one way as well as purchase/viewing figures.

Producers are quick to act if the medium is not having producing the desired outcome.