Chapter 5: Communications Theory and Application (Fundamentals of PR and Marketing Comm)

RACE Model: By John Marston

RESEARCH: id or verify if perceived problem or opportunity exists, to gain knowledge of history and
scope of an issue, and id the publics that may be affected or may have an impact on the operations
of an organization.
ANALYSIS: of research findings to id the potential impact of the issue on the organization and the
impact on the publics.. analysis helps an org id what it needs communications to do. The a in
marstons original formula was action, suggesting that if something was not already happening it
must be made to occur such as improving speed of service if customers were complaining and then
letting people know the change had occurred.
COMMUNICATION: to develop appropriate meessages to address the verified concerns of the
identified publics and using the most effective media appropriate to each public.
EVALUATION: determine if the msg was successfully received by the publics and to determine if
communication efforts achieved the desired outcomes.

NARRATIVE MODEL of communication:

Who, says what, in which channel, to whom, with what effect?

1. WHO (Source) all comm begins with source, this is the person or org that has a need to
communicate something to others. The source must clearly understand the purpose for
communicating and who they ar communicating on behalf of. To ensure they are accurately
representing their organization, they need to be aware of the companys mission, vision, and
values, its business goals and its objectives.
2. SAYS WHAT (message) depending on the situation, there are a few things to take into
consideration. What does the organization want or need the audience to know? What does

the audience want or need to know and why? Because a number of groups may be
impacted, the communicator may need to go through this step a number of time sto ensure
he or she addresses the info needs of each group.
3. IN WHICH CHANNEL (medium) the channel or medium refers to the vehicle to distribute
the msg, such as a conversation, ad, posting on internet forum. The choice of medium
depends on the audience the communicator wishes to connect with. For example, a baby
boomer may prefer to watch tv news while a millennial may prefer to get info from web.
4. TO WHOM (audience/receiver) when developing a msg communicators consider who will
be affected by the actions of the organization and how. They need to be aware of the values,
stakes, perceptions, and beliefs of the audience they wish to communicate toand how
credible the source is to the audience.
5. TO WHAT EFFECT (change in perception/belief/attitude)the overallpurpose of
communicating is to have something happen. Once an issue, audience, and communication
needs have been idd what is it that the org wants the intended audience to do? Does it need
the audience to take immediate actions? Or is it seeking to change the audiences
perception of the organization? Thinking critically about each of these elements enables an
org to be strategic in communications efforts.

MATHEMATICAL THEORY OF COMMUNICATION (SHANNON-WEAVER MODEL)

1. INFORMATION SOURCE source where comm originates. Creates the msgs to be sent to
an individual or group. Sources needs to know who will be receiving the msg and how
receptive they may be to the info.
2. MESSAGE content of the comm. Must be relevant to audience and understood by both
source and receiver.
3. TRANSMITTER msg is transferred to particular format such as speech or tv ad.
4. CHANNEL medium chosen to send the msg to intended audience such as presentation at
a conference or tv station.
5. NOISE anything that interferes with understanding of a msg. can be physical like actual
noise. Environmental. Semantic noise, misunderstanding, misinterpretation.
6. RECEIVER where msgs decoded. Listening to speech watching tv ad.

7. DESTINATION end receiver of msg. person or group for whom msg intended. Receiver
reconstructs the msg. communication is most effective when msg targets a specific
audience for whom the msg is both approps and relevant.
INTERACTIVE MODEL
Wilbur schramm. Deviation of Shannon-weaver. Importance of relationship between sender and
receiver, in tune, must share common field of experience, shared understanding of msg dependant
on both parties having knowledge of the topic being communicated. Feedback channel must be
present to ensure meaning was clearly understood. Feedback aids creating mutual understanding by
allowing the source to evaluate if the msg was received and how it was interpreted by receiver.

SMCR MODEL of comm

David berlo: SOURCE, MESSAGE, CHANNEL, RECEIVER.
Like schramms interative model re: common level of underst anding, but also alignment of attitudes,
communication skills and cultural aspects between source and receiver.
SOURCE: communication skills, attitudes, knowledge, social system, culture ---encodes:
MESSAGE: content, elements, treatment, structure, code
CHANNEL: hearing, seeing, touching, smelling, tasting ---decodes:
RECEIVER: communication skills. Attitudes, knowledge, social system, culture

DIRECT EFFECTS THEORY

THE LIMITED EFFECTS THEORIES OF COMMUNICATION
GRUNIG AND HUNTS FOUR MODELS OF PR

1. PRESS AGENTRY/PUBLICITY one way comm from an org to an audience, no avenue for
feedback, audience receives only the info the org wants them to hear, altho that msg may be
inaccurate or incomplete. The intent is to persuade the audience rather than to inform them
of something. Advertising/promotion.
2. PUBLIC INFORMATION for your own good info. Msgs sent from org that audience needs
to know, eg health canda ads re flu shots. Info directing audience where they can go for more
info but again little or no opp for feedback. Msgs viewed as less subjective bc intent is to
ensure the health n safetly of audience.

3. TWO-WAY ASYMMETRICAL COMM -- does provides a feedback channel allowing

audience to respond to msg however info is collected for benefit of org. while perception that
two-way comm is taking place, results of feedback are not shared with public and input may
not alter how org does biz. Eg political party asks for input on various issues.
4. TWO-WAY SYMMETRICAL COMM -- true two way comm to create dialogue btween org
and publics. Communicates goals and asks for input. Feedback is collected, analysed and
used by orgs to make adjustments. Org then reports changes to public.

ADVANCED COMM THEORIES:

Economic determinism: concept of power in media. Relationship between media owners
and ability to disseminate msgs that support views and values of those owners. A comm
theory that proposes that the information we receive through media is controlled by those
who own media.
The political economy of media: noam Chomsky. Media not only entertains and informs
audiences but shape and support societal beliefs,values, social codes. Marxs philosophy,
argue that money and power influence the news we receive diminish dissenting views,
provide platforms for govt and powerful prvt interests to get their agendas in fron the public.
Caution public to be critical of media and to view media msgs through filters.
Size, ownership, profit; advertising; sourcing news.

Communication: the transfer of info from one person to another in an attempt to create a common
understanding and generate a response.
Mass communication: the distribution of a msg to a large number of people through media such as
tv, newspapres, radio.
Technological determinism: communications theory that proposes that hanges in technology shape
changes in society. Tech drives societal change through changes in how we create, distribute and
consume information.