Abstract and conclusion for my critical communication event in recent history

Critical Communication Event in Recent History Communication is an important aspect of anygiven social setting. Critical and creative evaluation of modes of communication brings out the diversity and dynamism of communication as an event in history. Passing and receiving of information can from time to time be characterized by difficulties in understanding the information being passed or the failure to conceptualize what the communication is all about. Evaluating a critical communication event in history is fundamental in all aspects within which communication takes place. This paper seeks to undertake a creative and a critical evaluation of such a scenario in the context of all avenues of communication. Critical communication encompasses several avenues, taking the simplest avenue at one point, and a complex one at another. These avenues include: the press, film, radio, television, internet and wireless communication. This paper will focus on individual critical communication avenues, and further define the interrelationship between and among these avenues in the context of an event in recent history.
Introduction
Emery Orto, a 6-foot 350-pounds suburban Chicago man, was denied flying with Southwest Airlines from Las Vegas to Midway because of his size (Netter, 2009; eTurboNews Inc., 2010). He was not ready to buy a second ticket nor did he communicate with the Airlines personnel properly so that they could see he was right by letting him board the plane and seeing for themselves (Monson, 2011).
After the incident happened, there were a lot of people who were of the point of view that Orto should have been allowed to fly (Texas, 2009). But critically analyzing the situation, one comes to know that the Airlines personnel was only doing its duty by questioning Orto as by boarding him with only one seat booked would not only have made him uncomfortable but the comfort of other passengers sitting next to him was also at stake. The customer of size policy of South West Airlines (2011) states that, “ Customers who are unable to lower both armrests and/or who compromise any portion of adjacent seating should proactively book the number of seats needed prior to travel”. This incident got media’s attention and became a hot topic just because of Orto’s ego and unwillingness to communicate with the Airlines personnel. I believe that Orto should have kept his ego aside. The personnel reports that Orto was offered to board the plane to show that he could fit in one seat without disturbing his seatmates, but he refused which shows irrational behavior and reluctance to communicate. It was not the weight that kept Orto from boarding rather it was his rude behavior. This event actually shows the whole society’s non-forbearing and irrational attitude toward social issues and an indisposition to communicate properly. I plan to gather further information through more articles and news reports regarding this event.
Communication in the Press
The event was handled by the press in the most traditional way as the news spread out like fire and all the news channels were talking about the event. What happened at the airport between Orto and South West Airlines personnel could be read at various news websites like eTurboNews Inc. and ABC News.
For example, Sarah Netter’s (2009) article at ABC News talked about the incident very properly and the reader becomes enthusiastic to further explore the issue at other websites like The Kathryn Report (2009) and the article by Knights (2009). The role of the press in this incident has been to inform the public about the event. It did not challenge the authorities or acted just like a watchdog. It fulfilled its purpose of bringing the news to the public and letting people know about the issue which spread more awareness about the customer of size policy of the Southwest Airlines. This also points to the freedom of press.
The incident was covered by many reporters, and many journalists happened to interview Emery Orto to take his views about the event. Reporters also gave their judgments in their online articles about Orto’s irrational behavior and his communication with the authorities which was not based on sound arguments. They stated in their articles that it was not Orto’s size that kept him from flying; instead, it was his rude behavior that made the authorities angry enough not to let him board the plane. When press enjoys freedom, then everybody has the right to give his views and opinions, just like what happened in this event.
Critical Communication Event in Film
This paper supposes that the event under discussion could have been discussed via film. We know that film is a very effective way of conveying message to the public, especially if it is a documentary film (Juel; Barsam, 1992). In this event too, a documentary film could be made which talked about the attitude of citizens toward authorities.
The filmmaker could go in the public and ask common people about what they thought about the event and Orto’s behavior, and an idea could be taken as to how many people supported Orto and how many of them thought that he should have been obedient to the authorities. This way, we can get an estimate about what is the general attitude of people. The film would be a very interesting way to know the global mass culture. Censorship can help control the content of the film if people became very personal about the authorities and talked about sensitive issues not related to the event.
To quote an example, the film can show extempore short interviews with the personnel who dealt with the issue and also with Orto who was the main subject of the event. Their views can be taken and recorded to show to the public. Interviews were taken, but they were conveyed in print media. There is a need of a film to present the event in a lucid way. The film can be a message to the public about how they should behave with the authorities and laws.
Critical Communication Event on Radio
Radio communication or voice communication is a better way of communication than many other communication techniques but it lacks certain aspects of video communication and interpersonal communication involving face-to-face communication. It’s hard to say exactly who specifically invented radio but “ Heinrich Hertz first detected radio waves in 1887. In 1894, Guglielmo Marconi crafted a radio transmitter, and in the following year he sent and received a radio signal in Italy. In 1902, Marconi sent the first transatlantic radio signal, from England to Newfoundland.” (JIU BC375) In the first few years of radio communication, the broadcast is utilized for pure entertainment but as the time passed, people realized the worth of radio broadcasting as for conveying political agenda and for similar other reasons. For example, “ In 1919, after wartime restrictions on radio were lifted, the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) was formed, in order to bring together all the various patent holders and make further development possible (Cramer, 2009, p. 126; Gorman & McLean, 2009, p. 54)” This marked the start of the Golden Age of Radio which ranged from the 1920s to roughly 1950.
In our critical event, a person named Emery Orto who was refused to board the Southwest Airline by the Airline personal due to his weight (Netter, 2009; eTurboNews Inc., 2010). Media covered the event as the lack of communication between the Airline personal and the Orto but some people believed that Airline personal must let the Orto to board the plane, however, Airline personal have the idea that a person with such size may be a problem for the neighbor passenger. In fact, the rude attitude of Orto led him to be refused to board the plane.
The event caught the attention of many newspaper and news agencies, where most of the reporters have the view that it was the impolite attitude of Orto that made the authorities to deny him from boarding the plane. As a communication event, the event sounds a communication gap between Orto and the Airline personnel but history is full of the events that made people to think in the manner that an authority wants. It could be a benefit for the people to have knowledge about the rules of the Southwest Airline. However, it could be worse for the people who are targeted to spend extra money to buy extra seat as per their size. As the radio communication lacks to target certain audience, the messages are conveyed to all the people that the messages could harm the mind of a person or a group of people.
Critical Communication Event on Television
Television communication is one of the most significant inventions in the world. It has become part of our lives, where many aspects of different cultures are derived from television programs. For example, children tend to memorize words from the programs they watch on television. Television system was known as “ televisors” which was used to only capture pictures and display them. The images captured would then be sent through radio waves. This was back in 1928 to 1939, but the electromechanical television slowly began picking up the images and broadcast them electronically as modern sets. However, they did not have color and received the images via radio waves. In 1934, it moved to a more advanced level when the electronic production began (Williams, 2003).
In terms of commercialism and consumer culture, television plays a role of transmitting culture to both the young and adult as well as reinforces it. Williams (2003), states that this process of reinforcement and transmission is called consumer culture or socialization. Young people are able to acquire knowledge, attitudes and skills that are relevant to their functions in the market place. A number of studies show that television has some effects on children in terms of physical and mental health. However, this is not to say that television only has negative effects on children. In fact, some programs help engage kids in positive ways, but when they watch it indiscriminately and frequently, Williams (2003) claims that it can be harmful. For example, it affects their school performance because some kids prefer watching television than doing their homework.
Our previous critical event, on the person named Orto Emery who had refused to board the Southwest Airline due to his weight, was broadcasted in e TurboNews Inc., 2010, when the media covered the event and claimed that there was lack of communication between Orto and Airline. Some people believed that the Airline owners should have let Orto board the plane. This event got television attention where it was broadcasted in all the stations and therefore, conveyed the message to all people not concerning if they could harm their minds in wanting to board the South West Airline in future.
Critical communication event on the internet
Thanks to the internet, the event that took place at the airport was able to get to as a many people, all over, the world as fast as possible. from the eTurbo News Inc. and ABC news, the occurrences of between Orto and South West Airlines personnel was no longer an alien story to most people. The event seemed to spread like fire all over the place. In Sarah Netter’s article of 2009 at the ABC news talked about the event in wider view. Readers become more enthusiastic to read more on the story from other websites like the Kathryn Report (2009) and the article by Knights (2009).
The responsibility of the press to relay messages in such incidences was seen to come out very clearly. The public seemed to be very aware of the happenings at that particular time. The media did not assume its role in concealing information but portrayed the information to the mass just as the events unfold. The issue of size policy in relation to the Southwest Airlines came out clearly. With the news, the customers were much enlightened on who they would be dealing with the next time they use the Southwest airlines.
With the freedom of the press, many journalists attempted to conduct interview with Emery Orto to have a clear understanding on the views regarding to the issue. From the journalists’, judgment on various online articles, Orto seemed to have an irrational attitude and his communication with the authorities was not at all pleasant. Not only was it his size that barred him from flying but his rude approach on the authorities. With the freedom of the press, each and every person is given an opportunity to air their views, in our case study, the huge person, Orto, and the refusal to board on the plane by the Southwest Airlines authority.
Wireless communication
The imperative of television in modern day affair cannot be overemphasized especially at a time when globalization and linkages between nations has become a normal affair. The advent of television radically transformed the whole concept of information, communication and entertainment. However, the internet age has brought more than television did. A noticeable commonality realized from all these forms of communication is the fact that they both depend on wireless technology. Well, the digital age is totally governed by information which is normally relayed through wireless means. The history of wireless technology is not a onetime affair. It has been a gradual advancement that has seen bit after bit of new knowledge added to the already existing pool so that conveyance of information in the modern time has become an easy affair (Goldsmith, 2007).
The case between Emery and Southwest Airlines is a classic example of issues that surface on a daily basis which without the modern forms of communication may never be known. Emery is denied entry into the Airline’s flight on the account of his weight. The issue is seen to trigger a lot of public interest as a function of its wide coverage in the media through television and the internet. The very fundamental role of the media is reflected in this case. It is important to realize that the media solely acts as a means through which the masses can obtain the information and no more.
The information is relayed through such outlets as eTurbo and ABC News which clearly analyze the whole situation thereby making the public quite informed and aware of the true nature of the Airline. It is therefore important to acknowledge the role played by modern -day communication more so wireless communication in the dissemination of very fundamental information that relates to humanity. Through such information, people are able to exercise their social characteristics to the benefit of humanity at large.
Conclusion
Information sharing, aided by communication through whatever means, has become an integral part of the relationship between the society and the media. The characteristic relationship between the two can be dated back in history, since time immemorial. Both the society and the media have proportionate influence on the evolvement of each. The society’s dynamism over time necessitates the need for vast information and massive communication. In this regard, since the media acts as the primary means of passing information to the society, it has to keep pace with the changing nature of the society and further meet consistent high demand of the required vast information and need for communication. The interaction of media and society is tailored towards making communication quicker and more efficient.
Ancient means of communication have over the years been improved for the better. Critical communication via the identified avenues in this paper has undergone tremendous change throughout history. Press, film, radio and television have been in existence for centuries. However, each day marks a new advancement for them. Internet and wireless communication are not dated back in history, but their presence in the contemporary times has opened up creativity and innovativeness in the communication arena. As the media evolves and advances, so does the society. This trend is not due to change now nor in future.