There is more to a Visual than meets the eye...

Have you ever wondered why we go for films, go for spectacular events, watch TV?

It helps us take a break. It entertains. It shows us things we don't have a chance of otherwise experiencing. If these be some of the reasons. then all that the Media brings us must we well-received. But that does not happen?

The Media brings us pictures of the real, we are often told. But as the Media increases its presence in our lives, we'll find just as we learn to read between the lines, we will learn to see beyond the picture. That, in effect becomes a 'mediated reality', particularly in the case of the Television which brings the picture into our drawing rooms.

What really is taking place is, COMMUNICATION.

Why do we Communicate?

There can be plenty of answers - "I have something to say" and how we say it does matter. That is, when we speak we are communicating. when we use a Radio, TV , Computer, telephone or a writing tool, we are communicating.

In all this is involved 1) Non-Verbal Communication and 2) Verbal Communication

In Non-Verbal communication we have the early means of communication. Man, as he developed language and other means of communication, found there are different meanns of communicating, yet many are the occasions when we give meaning to a comment not purely for the way it is said, but also for the words used, the facial expression of the speaker, the body language of the speaker and our own perception of the speaker.

Thus you'll find that when we try to communicate it is not just words but at many levels meaning is put into the message.

In olden times, we have heard of the 'town crier' who went around the streets announcing a major event or the church bells announcing happy and unhappy events. That also was a means of Communication.

Think of the means of communicating

1) Drawings of the cave man
2) Sign language
3) Morse code (used in telegraphs)
4) Semaphore (using flags to convey messgaes between vessels out in the sea)
5) Human beings use their own face and body to communicate-anger, hostility, love, concern, friendliness, practically a lot of daily interaction does take place through non-verbal communication.

When 'Words' find expression thru speech or writing we have Verbal Communication . This opens up a host of possibilities to communicate between people which can be between 2 persons - dyadic communication, more than two which can be small group communication, public meetings.

We also communicate with ourselves this is called INTRA PERSONAL COMMUNICATION.

Therefore in simple terms you have -Intra personal, Inter-personal, Small Group, Large Groups and finally Mass Communications when a MEDIUM helps you multiply a single Message (can be speech, debate, entertainment, commentaries and all that we see on TV, Radio and now computer-aided technology) to reach many people.

Mass Communication involves both Technology as it develops and elements of Human Communication, both of which are evolving constantly And, getting more sophisticated as well as capable of being manipulated according to the potential of the Technology and the ability of the USER.