THE COMPARATIVE STUDY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND OPINION FORMATION

In: Public opinion quarterly: journal of the American Association for Public Opinion Research, Band 16, S. 513-523

Abstract

Discussed are the kinds of information needed to clarify the role of mass media as channels of communication under varying conditions. This role will be a function of their availability and distribution within an area, which raises two questions: (1) the relation between accessibility and exposure, & (2) the restrictions on accessibility and resistance to exposure in various countries. Restricted accessibility may lead to innovations in distributions such as public listening to radios in Turkish coffee houses, wired radio, and newspaper reading to small groups. This may lead to restrictions on the character of exposure, reducing the number of possible interpretations. Comparative studies of accessibility and exposure need to be supplemented by inquiries into the attitudes which people have toward particular media. Since the content of mass media is often transmitted to people unexposed to the media, the role of informal channels must be studied. The relative importance of different channels is determined by accessibility and by content of material being communicated. Research designs should distinguish people for whom communications perform different functions, e.g., within the same primary group, those who experience greater exposure and use this to develop leadership positions. In areas relying largely on oral channels, different kinds of news are likely to have higher currency than in areas well covered by mass media. Inaccessibility of daily news may lead to certain types being assigned a more enduring value and regarded as still worth learning about weeks later. As more news filters in, the traditional communication structure of many communities is likely to undergo continuous change. It is suggested that interdisciplinary cooperation in the study of comparative communication will increase knowledge of communications as well as individual disciplines. R. S. Halpern.