International Communication Flashcards

Understanding Communication

Communication is vital for human interaction and societal existence. It involves the exchange of ideas, meanings, beliefs, and understanding within environments. Communication is limitless and is an integral part of life. Every action and reaction is communication. Variations are influenced by culture, communication enhances social existence through social interaction.

Several definitions of communication:

  • Sharing symbolic meanings.
  • Increasing commonality between participants.
  • A dynamic exchange of meaning and interaction.
  • A source transmitting a message to affect behavior.
  • Enabling agency to affect environment and others.

Etymology of Communication

Derived from the Latin word 'communis,' meaning 'to share.' Communication is sharing knowledge, ideas, and beliefs. Meaning is key in communication.

Key Components of Communication

  • Sender: Originator, also known as encoder.
  • Message: Action stimulator.
  • Medium: The way the message is being encoded.
  • Receiver: Attributes meaning, also known as decoder.
  • Feedback: Response to message.

Why We Communicate

Communication is essential for:

  • Expressing state of mind.
  • Affecting the state of mind of others.
  • Informing.
  • Educating.
  • Entertaining.

Understanding International Communication

International communication involves the interdependency between countries and the competitiveness between organizations. When countries need to be recognized, international communication enables this. New media promotes it. In digital communication, data flow boosts commerce.

Definitions include:

  • Interaction transcending national boundaries facilitated by interdependence.
  • Communication between different countries or nations across frontiers.
  • Interaction across national political boundaries.
  • People speaking to people and governments speaking to governments.
  • Communication between parties in different geographical regions.

Common terms:

  1. Across a nation's boundary.
  2. Involving individuals, organizations, or governments of different territories.
  3. Of interest to an international audience.
  4. Featured in international media.
  5. Encoded in an international language.
  6. Of international value.

Scope encompasses political, economic, social, cultural, and military concerns, including cultural and media studies. Communication is crucial for establishing and maintaining power over distance.

Why Study International Communication

  • Enhancement of peaceful co-existence among countries especially after World War II.
  • Enhancement of mutual development such Ideological, Political, Economic, Education, Technological, Social and Legal.

Development of International Communication

Oral Communication

Early communication relied on gestures due to vocal immaturity. Interaction with others led to verbal communication. Oral tradition marked this period, with events recorded in memory.

Writing and Printing

Inscriptions served for public information. Flexible writing emerged in Rome, Persia, and China. Paper was introduced, printed press appeared in 1857, resulting in thousands of books in European languages in the 16th century.

Telegraph and Telephone

Invention during the 19th century to bridge communication over distance. Telegraph, telephone, then wireless telegraphy by Marconi shown first with the Naval Officers and Merchant ship owners in Britain.

Birth of Radio

Radio communication began in 1902 and equipment was comparatively cheap. In 1907, it was shown that radio waves could be made to carry speech and other sounds, so paving the way for radio telegraph and with it the possibility of broadcasting was realized.

Emergence of Television

Multiple inventors contributing, including Nipkow rotating disks, inventors Campbell-Swinton and Boris Rosing cathode ray tube developed independently in 1907, Charles Jenkins Radiovision, Karl Braun cathode ray tube Karl Braun and Vladimir Zworykin invented the kinescope. World War II encouraged television progress.

New Media

Late 20th century introduction of computers and the Internet, providing accessible information. Computing and art grew stronger in the 1960s. Other of social media are: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Wikipedia etc.

Nature, Characteristics, and Modes of International Communication

Characteristics of International Communication

  1. Intentionality: directed to receiver(s) across international borders or not purposely design as it may spill over.
  2. Channels: public communication on the public channels. International information on the private channels.
  3. Distribution Technology: to cut across international boundaries.
  4. Content: international in outlook.
  5. Cultural Dominance: International communication reflects the dominant culture of the world power.

International Communication Activities

Arise from:

  • International trade.
  • International war and crises.
  • Health issues.
  • Education activities.
  • Religious activities.
  • Social interactions.
  • Games and sport activities.

International Mass Media and Media Systems

Books

Originally, books were used for documentation and decoration. After the series of development, printing press expands the books for sharing academics. Examples:

  • Religious Books: enhances sharing, cultural diversity, agreement as spread bilaterally.
  • Academic Books.
  • Reference Books.
  • Motivational/General Interest Books.

Roles that Books Play in International Communication: gain new insight, used as new discoveries through knowledge and enrich lives. Through reading they serve as language.

Newspapers and Magazines

Newspaper carries news about wide varieties of current events. The African dailies get the African related content through from the American international dailies that offer information of practical value.

International Newspapers have had many great successes in the past centuries that have been suffering globally due to radio offering news, then television after World War II.

Radio and Television

Electromagnetic waves are the way radio transmits signals through space while television is images with sound. International news is often achieved on national networks.

Radio Stations newscasts can vary from an entire minute up of the station's entire schedule.

Film Industry

Moviem sold the image of the producing country faster than others through countries such as China, Nigeria, India and the United States.

New Media

The internet has provided a vast increase, both good and bad, through global internet connection.