Concept of Theory
Theory
is an assumption or system of assumptions, accepted principles, and rules of
procedure based on limited information or knowledge, devised to analyze,
predict, or otherwise explain the nature or behavior of a specified set of
phenomena; abstract reasoning which is acquired by Scientific Method on the
basis of systematic approach of research in a given discipline. The
philosophy of this empiricist approach is described in Western Philosophy:
Pragmatism. Various methods of obtaining data are used using various Research
Techniques. So, theory related to various subject is also different from place
to place.
Hypotheses
are the first step in creating a theory. Hypothesis formation is discussed in
Psychology: Methods of Research. Falsifiability is the most important feature
of hypothesis testing. Methods of testing (falsifying) hypotheses include
Dialectic, Logic, Probability, and Statistics.
So,
all the established set of belief with the formulation of research and its
generalization related to mass media especially to press is taken as press
theory.
Approaches of
theory
Approaches of theory
a. Media-culturalist perspective: This perspective
is based on the concept of media centric point of view which has focused on
subject matter of media as culture of the given society. Those cultures which
are supported by the media will be continued in the society. Otherwise, such
culture will be replaced by other media culture.
b. Media
technology perspective: Mass communication is also the process supported by
media technology like radio, TV, computer, printing press etc. In the absence
of those technologies, communication behavior of society will be dark and there
will be information gap that will expand the bay of the poverty. The entire
social patterns are dominated by different mass media.
c. Society technological perspective: This
perspective is related to the society centric point of view which believes that
technologies are innovated to fulfill the needs of society itself. It means
technology is developed as the needs of society. So, communication technology
can not be aloof from social system. Particular technology is required to be
established in society or not, that is decided by the authority of society. The
government is the authority of each level of society which will decide
particular technology has to be allowed in society or not on the basis of their
directives and legal provision.
d. Society culturalist perspective: Culture
is language, rites, rituals religion, social attitude and social behavior.
These all cultural background is the consequences of society. Therefore, the
language pattern and coverage of media are directed by social system including
social structure. No media can go beyond social structures and practices. In
that sense, media are also the sub system of society.
Theories of
communication and mass communication
·
Mass
society theory: According to this theory, media are operated in highly
atomic structure which means centralization of different media to reach into
large numbers of people. However, government allows those private media to
operate large-scale private media which supports particular government as a
whole. Though there is democracy, government will be biased to give permission,
license or registration to every qualified person. This theory was prevalent
from 1890's to 1930's basically. This theory rejects complete freedom of speech
and expression.
·
Marxist
theory: According to the Marxist theory, media are operated for class
interest. Wealthy people use media to exploit the working class people without
giving them proper facilities. Media are also the tools of economical
exploitation. With the changes of the time, media started to spread ideology
rather than the exploitation of working class people economically. Therefore,
neo-Marxist believes that media are operated to spread false consciousness to
manipulate the ideology in their favor by capitalist people. In capitalist
system, no coverage of working class people is possible taking them as a
opposition. They only follow one way flow of capitalistic information.
·
Functionalist
theory: According to this theory, media are operated only for the positive
purpose in the society which believes that media helps to establish peace,
order, justice and equality in society. With
the operation of media, society will be integrated with harmony which also acts
as a bridge between and among different people. As a result, cooperation and
coordination are possible in the society. This theory has only focused positive
function of media in society and never pinpoints the dysfunction. Media has
also negative effect in society which is not evaluated by this theory.
·
Critical
political economy theory: This theory is also based on critical tradition
of Marxism. However, this theory believes that politics and economics will be mixed
to get maximum benefit. First of all, that person who has huge amount of
capital easily makes influence on politician. In their favor, politician will
also help to change the existing laws and regulations. As a result, private
sector will invest for media on those sectors where they get only the profit,
with this process; poor people do not have access to media information whereas
wealthy people will easily get information that prolongs the information gap
between have and have-not. In fact, each and every audience is commoditized as
a goods and services. This theory also deals with the negative aspects of
globalization.
·
Modernization
and development theory: According to this theory, media are the
revolutionary tools to change the social system of any nations. Media provides
information to follow particular method of development. This concept is based
on small is beautiful which is followed by Japan
and South Africa.
Gradually other countries are also following different method of modernization
and development. No development is possible in the absence of media information
is the key concept of this theory.
·
Technological
determinism theory: This theory is propounded by Innis and McLuhan. Innis
established Toronto
University to study the
technological strength of particular media. Later, Marshal McLuhan became the director
of this university who propounded the theory of technological determinism.
According to this theory, each media has distinctive types of content bias. In
the beginning, books and newspaper dominated the world. Later, radio replaced
the domination of books and newspaper. Now, TV replaced all other media. He
came into conclusion that medium is always message. Ultimate domination of TV
will be prevalent in communication world. He also classified hot and cold media
for the effectiveness of media in market.
·
Information
society theory: According to this theory, huge volume of information will
support each and every life style of society with the support of new
technology. The concept of new technology includes amalgamation of internet,
computer, satellite and telephone with optical fibers. The connection of such
technology with each and every nation is information superhighway. This
information highway further develops into full-fledged application and
interconnection of technology of every nation, which is possible with the huge investment
from multinational company in communication sector. Two-way communication,
globalization of communication, diversity in information flow, plurality of
channel are the basic characteristics of information society theory which has
been developing after 1990's but it does not get its ultimate point.
·
Hypodermic
needle theory: Media has hundred percent effect on audience is the key
concept of this theory. This theory believes that each and every media has
immediate effect on target group like the bullet shot or injection of syringe.
This theory was appeared in early 1920's that attracted propaganda theory. This
theory also believes that audiences are passive with one way flow of
information.
·
Two-step
flow theory: This theory is developed by Katz and Lagerfeld in 1942 which
rejected the one step flow of the communication. In this theory, source
disseminates information to receiver. Active receiver receives information in
his own language and understanding and sends this information to other passive
receiver as a source. This reflects the two step flow of communication. Later,
multi-step flow theory came as a expansion of same theory. This theory closed
the effectiveness of hypodermic needle theory of full effect of media on
audience.
·
Opinion
leader theory: This theory is developed with the process of two step flow
theory. In this theory, active receiver acts as an opinion leader who can
either distort or exaggerated or original information received from media
directly. Such opinion leader may misuse this information for personal benefit
and selfishness.
·
Effect
theory: Media provides information to change society to make effect on
already established norms and values of society on audience. Media has both
planned and unplanned, short term and long term effect. Criminal acts, suicide,
assault are the negative effect of media whereas development, education,
quality of life is the examples of positive effect of media. Until and unless
the proper understanding of such effect of media, no media content can be
changed or improved to make it compatible to the society. After 1990's, the
effect of media was started to be studied on the positive or negative effect of
media.
·
Play
theory: According to this theory, media should convey information to
audience with the support of entertainment oriented program as infotainment. All
human beings are playful by nature. To make certain effect over them, media
content should be presented playfully, humorously.
·
Media
interdependency theory: No media is itself perfect which should be
interdependent with other media either for promotion or goodwill as per this
theory. For example, the advertisement of Himalayan Times in NTV.
·
Uses and
gratification theory: Audiences uses media for the satisfaction of their
expectation. Otherwise, they never use particular media. Therefore, media
should be operated as per the interest of the audience and target group. However,
there are different kinds of audience category in society. No single media can
fulfill the interest of as a whole audience.
·
Motivation
theory: Media should motivate the people toward development, social change
and quality of life according to this theory. Media are operated especially to
form the positive attitude of audience to encourage them for particular deeds.
·
Individual
difference theory: According to this theory, every individual is different
from other because of their various backgrounds like behavior, attitude, knowledge,
skill. Same media may be effective for some individual and same is meaningless
for other because of their variety of nature.
·
Social
categorization theory: There are different demographic distributions of
society on the basis of age, gender, religion, occupation, educational status,
economical status. So the effect of media is different as per their strata is
the key concept of this theory.
