It seems like a lot of people only think that mediated communication exists across technology, but it has been around since humans could write. Only in the last twenty years or so has mediated communication become largely computer-based, such as texting, messaging on social media, emailing, and even mass mediated communication like YouTube or blogs. In this case, theories of mediated communication are more valid than ever. This evolution of mediated communication even speaks to the diffusion of innovations.
When I was six or seven I remember my dad and uncle talking about “HitClips” (which were basically 60-second versions of songs you could play anywhere) and how they were working on having a device that could play complete songs without CDs. Fourteen years later, an iPhone or iPod doesn’t seem like “new technology” anymore, and I only know a few people (laggards) who don’t have smartphones. Diffusion of innovations explains how quickly society subscribes to new technology and how quickly it becomes obsolete with every new innovation – my dad and uncle had no idea that the Mp3 player they were talking about could become a wearable watch that could also send messages and track your health.
Personally, I think some of these theories would be useful to me. For example, I once told someone I liked them via Facebook message. That is not a good idea, and I found that out through the Media Richness theory. Expressing your feelings to someone is probably something that should be done in person, as there are a lot of nonverbal cues involved, and the message is a bit too complicated to communicate via text only.
Applying Media Richness Theory can help me be a better communicator, especially in professional life, such as in determining whether it would be best to send an email or make a phone call in a particular situation. On a social level, I know other people struggle with communication mediums too. Some people have gotten broken up with over voicemail, which is not appropriate for the context or the message. A lot of people in my generation are actually fed up with mediums like text messaging or Facebook messaging and want to return to phonecalls or actual face-to-face conversations. However, my generation also enjoys the convenience of texting and instant content on their smartphones. Media Richness can help people distinguish between their need for a certain medium depending on the ambiguity of the message.
For example, a lot of girls want their boyfriends to talk to them on the phone while they’re away instead of simply texting. It makes communication more effective and more personal, in a sense, and prevents the risk of a message being misinterpreted. From a scientific standpoint, I’m not sure how media richness can contribute to further scientific study. Researchers have probably done a lot of research over what mediums are appropriate for what messages. Researchers might be able to use media richness to predict what kind of messages media (mass media or otherwise) will send and through what channels.
For example, Facebook has developed an algorithm for which advertisements they’ll post on a person’s particular feed that’s specialized to their interests based on what they post or like or even the cookies stored on their browser. Other sites do this as well, and social media researchers can find out the best way to reach potential customers through these ads or channels. Do Facebook ads really work? Do “sponsored” photos on Instagram catch people’s attention? Is an email an effective way to reach users? Research in mediated communication might help social media develop better tactics for reaching their users.
