The role of the media cannot be assumed in the technological world of today. The passing of information has been a practice of history that has been perfected in the present day world (Crowley & Paul, 2015). This has moved from the traditional methods to very sophisticated and real-time medium ones. This is based on information being a resource in this new century; thus, making it one of the most invested and sort after resource presently. As a result, exploring the options of communication as suggested by the traditional concepts, communication is basic to the medium of transfer. Looking at this concern, it will be true to note that the analysis and the view that Neil Postman has for media and the passing of knowledge is valid. In fact, the reality is that the perception that readers get when getting news from different mediums is different. Be the face-to-face communications, the print, and electronic media will be composing the message differently based on the factors of speed of communication, the efficiencies in a recording of information and the effectiveness in passing out knowledge in real time (Biocca & Levy, 2013).
Looking at the most recent news running through the majority of the media houses in Europe and the greater global news houses, the war in Syria is one that never misses on the new items. Using this news item, it will be prudent to examine the media according to the observations of Neil Postman. His perspectives are;
Knowledge is fragmented
Knowledge appears in forms most suitable to televisions
Knowledge requires specific processing skill
Knowledge is produced by invisible technologies
Knowledge is fragmented
The word fragmented refers to the acts of unrelenting or piecing different items together that are completely unrelated. As a result, the idea that knowledge is fragmented will imply on the position that the television media has in reporting is normally a fragment of what the reality is on the ground. Looking at this from the ideology of news being a briefing of the daily happenings, the works and the suggestion of Postman have a valid meaning. In fact, considering the medium with the highest and largest of an audience (television medium), it will be true to note that little is known of the war in Syria as only the most interesting news bits are shown. Emphasis is on the influx of refugees and the exchange of gunfire by the mediums.
Knowledge Appears in Forms Most Suitable to Televisions
Looking at the above suggestions and the example taken above, televised information is of the need to be precise and short based on the considerations of airtime and limits on programming schedules. This calls for the news on television being the most watched and sought after; still has to confer with the limitations of times and briefness. This records that the news items need to be sorted and screened such that only the most important of news is shared. Nevertheless, the itemization of news for television will be seen to create a bias to what the print and radio mediums will be reporting for purposes of coherence. According to the majority of newsrooms that own both the television and print media, all news need to be reading from the same page.
Knowledge Requires Specific Processing Skill
Processing of information is the act that Postman described in the analyzing and presenting only specific parts of the information to the audience even with the televised medium. Thus, the passing of information through the medium for the audience will require processing. According to Postman, the processing is in line with the bias taken by television news. Thus, the presentation of information by televised medium will be more appealing to the mindset formed by the culture we live in. Fundamentally, this culture dictates that the amount of information needs to be screened such that the intentions of the reporting agency is what the medium refers to. This can be limiting based on the characteristics of good communication as suggested by (Crowley & Paul, 2015). Communication needs not direct the perception of the audience, which majority of the present-day mediums do especially the televised information.
The amount of information in the present day electronic culture according to Postman is requiring of skill set from both the senders and the recipient of the information who are the audience. As a result, the information portfolios available have been material to the new methods having control of information thus dominating the modest of the audience.
Knowledge Is Produced By Invisible Technologies
Invisible technologies wrap the ideologies of Postman; here, looking at the war in Syria, there is constant accuracy in new reporting that the media will be seeking. This is to imply that the communication avenues are not devoid of technology, As a result, making the efforts of limiting any news feature will be very difficult with technology. The language used in reporting itself is technology based on the use of current statistics, real-time reporting that is as a result of technology. Identifying with the second and the third ideas that Postman has prompted, the position of technology is again persuaded by the concerns of televised information in this case. Thus, the majority of news and advertisement rely on technology, such that there is the perception of equity in information passing.
References
Biocca, F., & Levy, M. R. (2013). Communication in the age of virtual reality. New York: Routledge.
Crowley, D., & Paul, H. (2015). Communication in history: Technology, culture, society. NJ: Routledge.
