‘VOICE OF Heart’ & ‘Of the People’ are the basic characteristic of traditional media create more impact on society and also have great perception or feedback after disseminating any message. Traditional media is more powerful in comparison to mainstream media to its origin from grass root level.
Traditional media are also being increasingly used in ass media formats for development communication: radio, TV and film have integrated traditional media to convey specific messages in their programmes with admirable effect.
A river which has been irrigating and keeping the fields green for centuries continues to do so along with its additional new role of assisting the production of hydro-electric power. Traditional media is like that river only. All these forms, while they communicate the new ideas and practices, continue to carry the old stories, imparting the values and norms through the legendary characters and cultural models.
The conventional fare of the traditional media which emphasizes the values of life and ideas of human behavior seems to be relevant and necessary today in the face of the tendencies prompted by the electronic media on the massive scales. Communication research has pointed to the process of dehumanization set off by TV & FM. These media have practically monopolized cultural participation and dominated the cultivation of the common consciousness of values, behavior and needs etc.
An analysis of the contents of the regular shows mentions unity of India, communal harmony, religious tolerance and value of freedom among the priority themselves along with the ideas and practices regarding hygiene, health, nutrition, agriculture, national savings, small family norms etc. All these contribute to the emergence of attitudes to the emergence of attitudes which nourish and strengthen the national culture.
In India such media have played a role in the communication and promotion of new ideas 7 the adjustment to a new or evolving social or political situation. We know that interpersonal exchanges cannot be dispensed within the effort to change attitudes & behaviors. The folk media allow for such interactions for they are essentially participatory, flexible & familiar. Since they are not usually pure art forms, developmental messages can be introduced through them. A note of caution is necessary here: only those folk forms that lend themselves easily (without shocking the audience) to the propagation of developmental messages must be employed. Care must needs be taken also to see that the forms are not vulgarized (as they after are in the mass media). It is evident that the local people identify most with their own folk forms & the characters in them (the performers, if they are well known are liked by the audience & respected for their talent & skills). What is more the forms –drama, song & dance, religious discourses- can be adapted to suit local condition, local dialects & local concerns & interests.
Traditional media is originated from grass root level it is more & more powerful as that of any other media bases. Since it is easily accepted by the common man as it touches the feeling of a common man therefore it plays a great role in the developmental process. It makes us step forward easily in a very broad sense to express our views with the help of puppet shows, nautanki, nukkad natak etc.
Traditional media in other sense is also very useful as it conserves our culture & tradition, ethnic, moral values, mythology. Due to this it provides the full details of our ancient culture with which we were not familiar earlier. It adds morality to our culture.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
PLUG IN DRUG
THE MIND OF CHILDREN IS TOO SOFT SO THERE IS NEED OF SELF-REGULATION BY MEDIA INTITUTIONS BEFORE DISSEMINATING THE INFORMATION THAT WHAT ARE FORWARDING FOR AVOIDING NEGATIVE IMPACT ON SOCIETY MOSTKY ON CHILDREN WHO ARE THE FUTURE OF NATION.
The media affect human beings according to their backgrounds, perceptions, motivations and aspirations. Every person in this world is an era in himself. He or she gets the audio, visual and audio-visual stimuli through his senses (eyes and ears). He or she processes such stimuli according to the information stored in his sub-conscious brain. Later he or she develop certain specific responses o these stimuli. It is obvious that these responses would be different in each individual. Even within a specifically targeted group the responses to such stimuli could vary.
Little children or infants of the age group of one to three years are impressed by TV programmes mostly advertisements. As soon as an advertisement appears on the TV, they are glued to its screen. They enjoy the jingles of popular commercials and even repeat them when they come from the school or playground. TV jingles forces them to persuade their parents to by products and services advertised.
Children’s of five years of age have well defined tastes. They like special types of foods, milk in one much example. They do not bye books because these fall under the operational gamut of their parents. They buy only those bicycles that are advertised in newspapers, glossy magazines and on the idiot box. Girls try new creams, lotions, perfumes and fake jewels because they see ladies using them in TV commercial s. some children also surf through the Net, but their parents invariably give them support when they do so. At this tender age, they do not understand the contact of internet banners and other advertisements. Magazines especially the glossy ones, attract their attention, but they are not interested in their contact, rather they try to find those products in these magazines that they are badly need.
The needs and wants of a child of the age of five to seven years of age are guided by the commercials shown on TV as well as those broadcast by radio jingles. Books become their companions. Romantic books like those published by Mills and Boon have been found in the closets of girls of eight years of age. Love , sex and romance become the topic of their private discussions. However such topics are confined to their friends (inner circles). Popular soap operas are understood by them. Many children insist that they watch late night movies. Many serials become popular among them. Cartoons still fascinate them but they slowly grow out of the tendency to watch animations. Now they are keen to feel the real world.
The children of age of ten to eleven years of age take many clues from the media. Internet is not a ghost for them any longer. They also read magazines devoted to women magazines are forbidden for boys. Movies fascinate them. They watch movies whenever they find time to do so. The children of age group of eleven to thirteen years age the ‘adults among all the children’. They are able to use newspapers, magazines, the net, printed information, radio jingles and music to develop their mental facilitates. They read short stories, small novels, love stories and articles related to science, environment, sex, romance, movies and the country they live in. some of them also read pornographic novels or watch nude phonographs on the net. Their actual tryst with sex starts at the age of ten years by the age of twelve to thirteen years, they become mature enough to hide their sexual feeling from the members of the opposite sex in school. Therefore they use magazines and pornographic materials to learn more about sex and even satisfy their sexual urges through artificial means.
Overall the media mostly electronic media excite to children and that appears as early maturity.
The media affect human beings according to their backgrounds, perceptions, motivations and aspirations. Every person in this world is an era in himself. He or she gets the audio, visual and audio-visual stimuli through his senses (eyes and ears). He or she processes such stimuli according to the information stored in his sub-conscious brain. Later he or she develop certain specific responses o these stimuli. It is obvious that these responses would be different in each individual. Even within a specifically targeted group the responses to such stimuli could vary.
Little children or infants of the age group of one to three years are impressed by TV programmes mostly advertisements. As soon as an advertisement appears on the TV, they are glued to its screen. They enjoy the jingles of popular commercials and even repeat them when they come from the school or playground. TV jingles forces them to persuade their parents to by products and services advertised.
Children’s of five years of age have well defined tastes. They like special types of foods, milk in one much example. They do not bye books because these fall under the operational gamut of their parents. They buy only those bicycles that are advertised in newspapers, glossy magazines and on the idiot box. Girls try new creams, lotions, perfumes and fake jewels because they see ladies using them in TV commercial s. some children also surf through the Net, but their parents invariably give them support when they do so. At this tender age, they do not understand the contact of internet banners and other advertisements. Magazines especially the glossy ones, attract their attention, but they are not interested in their contact, rather they try to find those products in these magazines that they are badly need.
The needs and wants of a child of the age of five to seven years of age are guided by the commercials shown on TV as well as those broadcast by radio jingles. Books become their companions. Romantic books like those published by Mills and Boon have been found in the closets of girls of eight years of age. Love , sex and romance become the topic of their private discussions. However such topics are confined to their friends (inner circles). Popular soap operas are understood by them. Many children insist that they watch late night movies. Many serials become popular among them. Cartoons still fascinate them but they slowly grow out of the tendency to watch animations. Now they are keen to feel the real world.
The children of age of ten to eleven years of age take many clues from the media. Internet is not a ghost for them any longer. They also read magazines devoted to women magazines are forbidden for boys. Movies fascinate them. They watch movies whenever they find time to do so. The children of age group of eleven to thirteen years age the ‘adults among all the children’. They are able to use newspapers, magazines, the net, printed information, radio jingles and music to develop their mental facilitates. They read short stories, small novels, love stories and articles related to science, environment, sex, romance, movies and the country they live in. some of them also read pornographic novels or watch nude phonographs on the net. Their actual tryst with sex starts at the age of ten years by the age of twelve to thirteen years, they become mature enough to hide their sexual feeling from the members of the opposite sex in school. Therefore they use magazines and pornographic materials to learn more about sex and even satisfy their sexual urges through artificial means.
Overall the media mostly electronic media excite to children and that appears as early maturity.
Nonverbal communication
Act of imparting or interchanging thoughts, opinions, or information without the use of spoken words. Nonverbal communication is used in marketing research as a key variable to determine consumers' attitudes, values, and beliefs regarding a certain product or service. For example, an observer watching a focus group will pay special attention to the nonverbal cues of group interaction, such as body language, facial expressions, and eye contact, to identify group members' true feelings about an issue.
When Demosthenes was asked what was the first part of oratory he answered, "'action"; and which was the second, he replied, "action"; and which was third he still answered, "action." People tend to believe actions more than words!
Have you ever heard anyone say, "His actions spoke so loudly I couldn't hear what he said?" Have you ever wondered whether anyone has said this about you? What we do is a means of communication, subject to interpretation by others. Did you ever stop to think that even failure to act is a way of communicating?
Today, many researchers are concerned with the information sent by communication that is independent of and different from verbal information; namely, the non-verbal communication. Verbal communication is organized by language; non-verbal communication is not.
Communication is the transfer of information from one person to another. Most of us spend about 75 percent of our waking hours communicating our knowledge, thoughts, and ideas to others. However, most of us fail to realize that a great deal of our communication is of a non-verbal form as opposed to the oral and written forms. Non-verbal communication includes facial expressions, eye contact, tone of voice, body posture and motions, and positioning within groups. It may also include the way we wear our clothes or the silence we keep.
In person-to-person communications our messages are sent on two levels simultaneously. If the nonverbal cues and the spoken message are incongruous, the flow of communication is hindered. Right or wrong, the receiver of the communication tends to base the intentions of the sender on the non- verbal cues he receives.
Categories and Features
G. W. Porter divides non-verbal communication into four broad categories:
Physical. This is the personal type of communication. It includes facial expressions, tone of voice, sense of touch, sense of smell, and body motions.
Aesthetic. This is the type of communication that takes place through creative expressions: playing instrumental music, dancing, painting and sculpturing.
Signs. This is the mechanical type of communication, which includes the use of signal flags, the 21-gun salute, horns, and sirens.
Symbolic. This is the type of communication that makes use of religious, status, or ego-building symbols.
Our concern here will be with what Porter has called the physical method of non-verbal communication.
Knowledge of non-verbal communication is important managers who serve as leaders of organizational "teams," for at least two reasons:
To function effectively as a team leader the manager must interact with the other members successfully. Non-verbal cues, when interpreted correctly, provide him with one means to do so.
The team members project attitudes and feelings through non-verbal communication. Some personal needs such as approval, growth, achievement, and recognition may be met in effective teams. The extent to which these needs are met is closely related to how perceptive the team leader and team members are to non-verbal communication in themselves and in others on the team.
If the team members show a true awareness to non-verbal cues, the organization will have a better chance to succeed, for it will be an open, honest, and confronting unit. Argyle and his associates have been studying the features of nonverbal communication that provide information to managers and their team members. The following summarizes their findings:
Static Features
Distance.
Distance. The distance one stands from another frequently conveys a non-verbal message. In some cultures it is a sign of attraction, while in others it may reflect status or the intensity of the exchange.
Orientation. People may present themselves in various ways: face-to-face, side-to-side, or even back-to-back. For example, cooperating people are likely to sit side-by-side while competitors frequently face one another.
Posture. Obviously one can be lying down, seated, or standing. These are not the elements of posture that convey messages. Are we slouched or erect ? Are our legs crossed or our arms folded ? Such postures convey a degree of formality and the degree of relaxation in the communication exchange.
Physical Contact. Shaking hands, touching, holding, embracing, pushing, or patting on the back all convey messages. They reflect an element of intimacy or a feeling of (or lack of) attraction.
Dynamic Features
Facial Expressions.
Facial Expressions. A smile, frown, raised eyebrow, yawn, and sneer all convey information. Facial expressions continually change during interaction and are monitored constantly by the recipient. There is evidence that the meaning of these expressions may be similar across cultures.
Gestures. One of the most frequently observed, but least understood, cues is a hand movement. Most people use hand movements regularly when talking. While some gestures (e.g., a clenched fist) have universal meanings, most of the others are individually learned and idiosyncratic.
Looking. A major feature of social communication is eye contact. It can convey emotion, signal when to talk or finish, or aversion. The frequency of contact may suggest either interest or boredom.
The above list shows that both static features and dynamic features transmit important information from the sender to the receiver.
Tortoriello, Blott, and DeWine have defined non-verbal communication as:
". . . the exchange of messages primarily through non-linguistic means, including: kinesics (body language), facial expressions and eye contact, tactile communication, space and territory, environment, paralanguage (vocal but non-linguistic cues), and the use of silence and time."
Let's review these non-linguistic ways of exchanging messages in more detail.
Kinesics
Lamb believes the best way to access an executive's managerial potential is not to listen to what he has to say, but to observe what he does when he is saying it. He calls this new behavioral science "movement analysis." Some of the movements and gestures he has analyzed follow:
Forward and Backward Movements. If you extend a hand straight forward during an interview or tend to lean forward, Lamb considers you to be an "operator"- good for an organization requiring an infusion of energy or dramatic change of course.
Vertical Movements. If you tend to draw yourself up to your tallest during the handshake, Lamb considers you to be a "presenter." You are a master at selling yourself or the organization in which you are employed.
Side-to-Side Movements. If you take a lot of space while talking by moving your arms about, you are a good informer and good listener. You are best suited for an organization seeking a better sense of direction. Lamb believes there is a relationship between positioning of the body and movements of the limbs and facial expressions. He has observed harmony between the two. On the other hand, if certain gestures are rehearsed, such as those made to impress others, there is a tendency to separate the posture and the movements. The harmony disappears.
Studies by Lamb also indicate that communication comes about through our degree of body flexibility. If you begin a movement with considerable force and then decelerate, you are considered a "gentle-touch." By contrast, if you are a "pressurizer," you are firm from beginning to end. The accuracy of Lamb's analyses is not fully known. However, it is important that corporation executives are becoming so sensitive to the importance of non-verbal messages that they are hiring consultants, such as Lamb, to analyze non-verbal communications in their organizations.
Facial Expressions
Facial expressions usually communicate emotions. The expressions tell the attitudes of the communicator. Researchers have discovered that certain facial areas reveal our emotional state better than others. For example, the eyes tend to reveal happiness or sadness, and even surprise. The lower face also can reveal happiness or surprise; the smile, for example, can communicate friendliness and cooperation. The lower face, brows, and forehead can also reveal anger. Mehrabian believes verbal cues provide 7 percent of the meaning of the message; vocal cues, 38 percent; and facial expressions, 55 percent. This means that, as the receiver of a message, you can rely heavily on the facial expressions of the sender because his expressions are a better indicator of the meaning behind the message than his words.
Eye Contact
Eye contact is a direct and powerful form of non-verbal communication. The superior in the organization generally maintains eye contact longer than the subordinate. The direct stare of the sender of the message conveys candor and openness. It elicits a feeling of trust. Downward glances are generally associated with modesty. Eyes rolled upward are associated with fatigue.
Tactile Communication
Communication through touch is obviously non-verbal. Used properly it can create a more direct message than dozens of words; used improperly it can build barriers and cause mistrust. You can easily invade someone's space through this type of communication. If it is used reciprocally, it indicates solidarity; if not used reciprocally, it tends to indicate differences in status. Touch not only facilitates the sending of the message, but the emotional impact of the message as well.
Personal Space
Personal space is your "bubble" - the space you place between yourself and others. This invisible boundary becomes apparent only when someone bumps or tries to enter your bubble.
How you identify your personal space and use the environment in which you find yourself influences your ability to send or receive messages. How close do you stand to the one with whom you are communicating ? Where do you sit in the room ? How do you position yourself with respect to others at a meeting ? All of these things affect your level of comfort, and the level of comfort of those receiving your message.
Goldhaber says there are three basic principles that summarize the use of personal space in an organization: The higher your position (status) in the organization,
(a) the more and better space you will have,
(b) the better protected your territory will be, and
(c) the easier it will be to invade the territory of lower-status personnel.
The impact of use of space on the communication process is related directly to the environment in which the space is maintained.
Environment
How do you arrange the objects in your environment - the desks, chairs, tables, and bookcases? The design of your office, according to researchers, can greatly affect the communications within it. Some managers divide their offices into personal and impersonal areas. This can improve the communication process if the areas are used for the purposes intended.
Your pecking-order in the organization is frequently determined by such things as the size of your desk, square feet in your office, number of windows in the office, quality of the carpet, and type of paintings (originals or copies) on the wall.
It is obvious that your personal space and environment affect the level of your comfort and your status and facilitate or hinder the communication process.
Paralanguage
Is the content of your message contradicted by the attitude with which you are communicating it? Researchers have found that the tone, pitch, quality of voice, and rate of speaking convey emotions that can be accurately judged regardless of the content of the message. The important thing to gain from this is that the voice is important, not just as the conveyor of the message, but as a complement to the message. As a communicator you should be sensitive to the influence of tone, pitch, and quality of your voice on the interpretation of your message by the receiver.
Silence and Time
Silence can be a positive or negative influence in the communications process. It can provide a link between messages or sever relationships. It can create tension and uneasiness or create a peaceful situation. Silence can also be judgmental by indicating favor or disfavor - agreement or disagreement.
For example, suppose a manager finds a couple of his staff members resting.
If he believes these staff members are basically lazy, the idleness conveys to him that they are "goofing off" and should be given additional assignments.
If he believes these staff members are self-motivated and good workers, the idleness conveys to him that they are taking a well-deserved "break."
If he is personally insecure, the idleness conveys to him that they are threatening his authority.
Time can be an indicator of status. How long will you give the staff member who wishes to speak to you ? How long will you make him wait to see you ? Do you maintain a schedule? Is your schedule such that your subordinates must arrange their schedules to suit yours ? In a healthy organization, the manager and his subordinates use time to communicate their mutual respect to each other.
Closing Thoughts
Regardless of your position in the organization it is important for you to develop some sensitivity to nonverbal messages. Cooperation improves as we recognize and respond appropriately to non-verbal cues. Of course you have been aware of non-verbal communications all of your life, but how much thought have you given them?
Nonverbal communication (NVC) is usually understood as the process of communication through sending and receiving wordless messages. Such messages can be communicated through gesture; body language or posture; facial expression and eye contact; object communication such as clothing, hairstyles or even architecture; symbols and infographics. Speech may also contain nonverbal elements known as paralanguage, including voice quality, emotion and speaking style, as well as prosodic features such as rhythm, intonation and stress. Likewise, written texts have nonverbal elements such as handwriting style, spatial arrangement of words, or the use of emoticons.
However, much of the study of nonverbal communication has focused on face-to-face interaction, where it can be classified into three principal areas: environmental conditions where communication takes place, the physical characteristics of the communicators, and behaviors of communicators during interaction.
Nonverbal communication—such as facial expressions, gestures, posture, and tone of voice—is an important component of personal business interactions. Nonverbal communication can help a small business owner to get a message across, or to successfully interpret a message received from another person. On the other hand, nonverbal communication can also send signals that interfere with the effective presentation or reception of messages. "Sometimes non-verbal messages contradict the verbal; often they express true feelings more accurately than the spoken or written language," Herta A. Murphy and Herbert W. Hildebrandt noted in their book Effective Business Communications. In fact, studies have shown that between 60 and 90 percent of a message's effect may come from nonverbal clues. Therefore, it is important for small business owners and managers to be aware of the nonverbal messages they send and to develop the skill of reading the nonverbal messages contained in the behavior of others. There are three main elements of nonverbal communication: appearance, body language, and sounds.
APPEARANCE. In oral forms of communication, the appearance of both the speaker and the surroundings are vital to the successful conveyance of a message. "Whether you are speaking to one person face to face or to a group in a meeting, personal appearance and the appearance of the surroundings convey nonverbal stimuli that affect attitudes—even emotions—toward the spoken words," according to Murphy and Hildebrandt. For example, a speaker's clothing, hairstyle, use of cosmetics, neatness, and stature may cause a listener to form impressions about her occupation, socioeconomic level, competence, etc. Similarly, such details of the surroundings as room size, furnishings, decorations, lighting, and windows can affect a listener's attitudes toward the speaker and the message being presented. The importance of nonverbal clues in surroundings can be seen in the desire of business managers to have a corner office with a view rather than a cubicle in a crowded work area.
BODY LANGUAGE. Body language, and particularly facial expressions, can provide important information that may not be contained in the verbal portion of the communication. Facial expressions are especially helpful as they may show hidden emotions that contradict verbal statements. For example, an employee may deny having knowledge of a problem, but also have a fearful expression and glance around guiltily. Other forms of body language that may provide communication clues include posture and gestures. For example, a manager who puts his feet up on the desk may convey an impression of status and confidence, while an employee who leans forward to listen may convey interest. Gestures can add emphasis and improve understanding when used sparingly, but the continual use of gestures can distract listeners and convey nervousness.
SOUNDS. Finally, the tone, rate, and volume of a speaker's voice can convey different meanings, as can sounds like laughing, throat clearing, or humming. It is also important to note that perfume or other odors contribute to a listener's impressions, as does physical contact between the speaker and the listener. Silence, or the lack of sound, is a form of nonverbal communication as well. Silence can communicate a lack of understanding or even hard feelings in a face-to-face discussion.
Mass communication is the term used to describe the academic study of various means by which individuals and entities relay information to large segments of the population all at once through mass media. It is usually understood to relate to newspaper and magazine publishing, radio, television, and film, as they are used both for disseminating news and for advertising.
Field of study
In the United States, many university journalism departments evolved into schools or colleges of mass communication or "journalism and mass communication," as reflected in the names of two major academic organizations. In addition to studying practical skills of journalism, public relations or advertising, students also may major in "mass communication" or "mass communication research." The latter is often the title given to doctoral studies in such schools, whether the focus of the student's research is journalism practice, history, law or media effects. Departmental structures within such colleges may separate research and instruction in professional or technical aspects of . Mass communication research includes media institutions and processes, such as diffusion of information, and media effects, such as persuasion or manipulation of public opinion.
With the Internet's increased role in delivering news and information, mass communication studies -- and media organizations -- have increasingly focused on the convergence of publishing, broadcasting and digital communication.
The academic mass communication discipline historically differs from media studies and communication studies programs with roots in departments of theatre, film or speech, and with more interest in "qualitative," interpretive theory, critical or cultural approaches to communication study. In contrast, many mass communication programs historically lean toward empirical analysis and quantitative research -- from statistical content analysis of media messages to survey research, public opinion polling, and experimental research.
Interest in "New Media" and "Computer Mediated Communication" is growing much faster than educational institutions can assimilate it. So far, traditional classes and degree programs have not been able to accommodate new paradigm shifts in communication technologies. Although national standards for the study of interactive media have been in place in the U.K. since the mid-nineties, course work in these areas tends to vary significantly from university to university.
Graduates of Mass Communication programs work in a variety of fields in traditional news media and publishing, advertising, public relations and research institutes.
Such programs are accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication is the major membership organization for academics in the field, offering regional and national conferences and refereed publications. The International Communication Association and National Communication Association (formerly the Speech Communication Association) include divisions and publications that overlap with those of AEJMC, but AEJMC historically has stronger ties to the mass communication professions in the United States.
When Demosthenes was asked what was the first part of oratory he answered, "'action"; and which was the second, he replied, "action"; and which was third he still answered, "action." People tend to believe actions more than words!
Have you ever heard anyone say, "His actions spoke so loudly I couldn't hear what he said?" Have you ever wondered whether anyone has said this about you? What we do is a means of communication, subject to interpretation by others. Did you ever stop to think that even failure to act is a way of communicating?
Today, many researchers are concerned with the information sent by communication that is independent of and different from verbal information; namely, the non-verbal communication. Verbal communication is organized by language; non-verbal communication is not.
Communication is the transfer of information from one person to another. Most of us spend about 75 percent of our waking hours communicating our knowledge, thoughts, and ideas to others. However, most of us fail to realize that a great deal of our communication is of a non-verbal form as opposed to the oral and written forms. Non-verbal communication includes facial expressions, eye contact, tone of voice, body posture and motions, and positioning within groups. It may also include the way we wear our clothes or the silence we keep.
In person-to-person communications our messages are sent on two levels simultaneously. If the nonverbal cues and the spoken message are incongruous, the flow of communication is hindered. Right or wrong, the receiver of the communication tends to base the intentions of the sender on the non- verbal cues he receives.
Categories and Features
G. W. Porter divides non-verbal communication into four broad categories:
Physical. This is the personal type of communication. It includes facial expressions, tone of voice, sense of touch, sense of smell, and body motions.
Aesthetic. This is the type of communication that takes place through creative expressions: playing instrumental music, dancing, painting and sculpturing.
Signs. This is the mechanical type of communication, which includes the use of signal flags, the 21-gun salute, horns, and sirens.
Symbolic. This is the type of communication that makes use of religious, status, or ego-building symbols.
Our concern here will be with what Porter has called the physical method of non-verbal communication.
Knowledge of non-verbal communication is important managers who serve as leaders of organizational "teams," for at least two reasons:
To function effectively as a team leader the manager must interact with the other members successfully. Non-verbal cues, when interpreted correctly, provide him with one means to do so.
The team members project attitudes and feelings through non-verbal communication. Some personal needs such as approval, growth, achievement, and recognition may be met in effective teams. The extent to which these needs are met is closely related to how perceptive the team leader and team members are to non-verbal communication in themselves and in others on the team.
If the team members show a true awareness to non-verbal cues, the organization will have a better chance to succeed, for it will be an open, honest, and confronting unit. Argyle and his associates have been studying the features of nonverbal communication that provide information to managers and their team members. The following summarizes their findings:
Static Features
Distance.
Distance. The distance one stands from another frequently conveys a non-verbal message. In some cultures it is a sign of attraction, while in others it may reflect status or the intensity of the exchange.
Orientation. People may present themselves in various ways: face-to-face, side-to-side, or even back-to-back. For example, cooperating people are likely to sit side-by-side while competitors frequently face one another.
Posture. Obviously one can be lying down, seated, or standing. These are not the elements of posture that convey messages. Are we slouched or erect ? Are our legs crossed or our arms folded ? Such postures convey a degree of formality and the degree of relaxation in the communication exchange.
Physical Contact. Shaking hands, touching, holding, embracing, pushing, or patting on the back all convey messages. They reflect an element of intimacy or a feeling of (or lack of) attraction.
Dynamic Features
Facial Expressions.
Facial Expressions. A smile, frown, raised eyebrow, yawn, and sneer all convey information. Facial expressions continually change during interaction and are monitored constantly by the recipient. There is evidence that the meaning of these expressions may be similar across cultures.
Gestures. One of the most frequently observed, but least understood, cues is a hand movement. Most people use hand movements regularly when talking. While some gestures (e.g., a clenched fist) have universal meanings, most of the others are individually learned and idiosyncratic.
Looking. A major feature of social communication is eye contact. It can convey emotion, signal when to talk or finish, or aversion. The frequency of contact may suggest either interest or boredom.
The above list shows that both static features and dynamic features transmit important information from the sender to the receiver.
Tortoriello, Blott, and DeWine have defined non-verbal communication as:
". . . the exchange of messages primarily through non-linguistic means, including: kinesics (body language), facial expressions and eye contact, tactile communication, space and territory, environment, paralanguage (vocal but non-linguistic cues), and the use of silence and time."
Let's review these non-linguistic ways of exchanging messages in more detail.
Kinesics
Lamb believes the best way to access an executive's managerial potential is not to listen to what he has to say, but to observe what he does when he is saying it. He calls this new behavioral science "movement analysis." Some of the movements and gestures he has analyzed follow:
Forward and Backward Movements. If you extend a hand straight forward during an interview or tend to lean forward, Lamb considers you to be an "operator"- good for an organization requiring an infusion of energy or dramatic change of course.
Vertical Movements. If you tend to draw yourself up to your tallest during the handshake, Lamb considers you to be a "presenter." You are a master at selling yourself or the organization in which you are employed.
Side-to-Side Movements. If you take a lot of space while talking by moving your arms about, you are a good informer and good listener. You are best suited for an organization seeking a better sense of direction. Lamb believes there is a relationship between positioning of the body and movements of the limbs and facial expressions. He has observed harmony between the two. On the other hand, if certain gestures are rehearsed, such as those made to impress others, there is a tendency to separate the posture and the movements. The harmony disappears.
Studies by Lamb also indicate that communication comes about through our degree of body flexibility. If you begin a movement with considerable force and then decelerate, you are considered a "gentle-touch." By contrast, if you are a "pressurizer," you are firm from beginning to end. The accuracy of Lamb's analyses is not fully known. However, it is important that corporation executives are becoming so sensitive to the importance of non-verbal messages that they are hiring consultants, such as Lamb, to analyze non-verbal communications in their organizations.
Facial Expressions
Facial expressions usually communicate emotions. The expressions tell the attitudes of the communicator. Researchers have discovered that certain facial areas reveal our emotional state better than others. For example, the eyes tend to reveal happiness or sadness, and even surprise. The lower face also can reveal happiness or surprise; the smile, for example, can communicate friendliness and cooperation. The lower face, brows, and forehead can also reveal anger. Mehrabian believes verbal cues provide 7 percent of the meaning of the message; vocal cues, 38 percent; and facial expressions, 55 percent. This means that, as the receiver of a message, you can rely heavily on the facial expressions of the sender because his expressions are a better indicator of the meaning behind the message than his words.
Eye Contact
Eye contact is a direct and powerful form of non-verbal communication. The superior in the organization generally maintains eye contact longer than the subordinate. The direct stare of the sender of the message conveys candor and openness. It elicits a feeling of trust. Downward glances are generally associated with modesty. Eyes rolled upward are associated with fatigue.
Tactile Communication
Communication through touch is obviously non-verbal. Used properly it can create a more direct message than dozens of words; used improperly it can build barriers and cause mistrust. You can easily invade someone's space through this type of communication. If it is used reciprocally, it indicates solidarity; if not used reciprocally, it tends to indicate differences in status. Touch not only facilitates the sending of the message, but the emotional impact of the message as well.
Personal Space
Personal space is your "bubble" - the space you place between yourself and others. This invisible boundary becomes apparent only when someone bumps or tries to enter your bubble.
How you identify your personal space and use the environment in which you find yourself influences your ability to send or receive messages. How close do you stand to the one with whom you are communicating ? Where do you sit in the room ? How do you position yourself with respect to others at a meeting ? All of these things affect your level of comfort, and the level of comfort of those receiving your message.
Goldhaber says there are three basic principles that summarize the use of personal space in an organization: The higher your position (status) in the organization,
(a) the more and better space you will have,
(b) the better protected your territory will be, and
(c) the easier it will be to invade the territory of lower-status personnel.
The impact of use of space on the communication process is related directly to the environment in which the space is maintained.
Environment
How do you arrange the objects in your environment - the desks, chairs, tables, and bookcases? The design of your office, according to researchers, can greatly affect the communications within it. Some managers divide their offices into personal and impersonal areas. This can improve the communication process if the areas are used for the purposes intended.
Your pecking-order in the organization is frequently determined by such things as the size of your desk, square feet in your office, number of windows in the office, quality of the carpet, and type of paintings (originals or copies) on the wall.
It is obvious that your personal space and environment affect the level of your comfort and your status and facilitate or hinder the communication process.
Paralanguage
Is the content of your message contradicted by the attitude with which you are communicating it? Researchers have found that the tone, pitch, quality of voice, and rate of speaking convey emotions that can be accurately judged regardless of the content of the message. The important thing to gain from this is that the voice is important, not just as the conveyor of the message, but as a complement to the message. As a communicator you should be sensitive to the influence of tone, pitch, and quality of your voice on the interpretation of your message by the receiver.
Silence and Time
Silence can be a positive or negative influence in the communications process. It can provide a link between messages or sever relationships. It can create tension and uneasiness or create a peaceful situation. Silence can also be judgmental by indicating favor or disfavor - agreement or disagreement.
For example, suppose a manager finds a couple of his staff members resting.
If he believes these staff members are basically lazy, the idleness conveys to him that they are "goofing off" and should be given additional assignments.
If he believes these staff members are self-motivated and good workers, the idleness conveys to him that they are taking a well-deserved "break."
If he is personally insecure, the idleness conveys to him that they are threatening his authority.
Time can be an indicator of status. How long will you give the staff member who wishes to speak to you ? How long will you make him wait to see you ? Do you maintain a schedule? Is your schedule such that your subordinates must arrange their schedules to suit yours ? In a healthy organization, the manager and his subordinates use time to communicate their mutual respect to each other.
Closing Thoughts
Regardless of your position in the organization it is important for you to develop some sensitivity to nonverbal messages. Cooperation improves as we recognize and respond appropriately to non-verbal cues. Of course you have been aware of non-verbal communications all of your life, but how much thought have you given them?
Nonverbal communication (NVC) is usually understood as the process of communication through sending and receiving wordless messages. Such messages can be communicated through gesture; body language or posture; facial expression and eye contact; object communication such as clothing, hairstyles or even architecture; symbols and infographics. Speech may also contain nonverbal elements known as paralanguage, including voice quality, emotion and speaking style, as well as prosodic features such as rhythm, intonation and stress. Likewise, written texts have nonverbal elements such as handwriting style, spatial arrangement of words, or the use of emoticons.
However, much of the study of nonverbal communication has focused on face-to-face interaction, where it can be classified into three principal areas: environmental conditions where communication takes place, the physical characteristics of the communicators, and behaviors of communicators during interaction.
Nonverbal communication—such as facial expressions, gestures, posture, and tone of voice—is an important component of personal business interactions. Nonverbal communication can help a small business owner to get a message across, or to successfully interpret a message received from another person. On the other hand, nonverbal communication can also send signals that interfere with the effective presentation or reception of messages. "Sometimes non-verbal messages contradict the verbal; often they express true feelings more accurately than the spoken or written language," Herta A. Murphy and Herbert W. Hildebrandt noted in their book Effective Business Communications. In fact, studies have shown that between 60 and 90 percent of a message's effect may come from nonverbal clues. Therefore, it is important for small business owners and managers to be aware of the nonverbal messages they send and to develop the skill of reading the nonverbal messages contained in the behavior of others. There are three main elements of nonverbal communication: appearance, body language, and sounds.
APPEARANCE. In oral forms of communication, the appearance of both the speaker and the surroundings are vital to the successful conveyance of a message. "Whether you are speaking to one person face to face or to a group in a meeting, personal appearance and the appearance of the surroundings convey nonverbal stimuli that affect attitudes—even emotions—toward the spoken words," according to Murphy and Hildebrandt. For example, a speaker's clothing, hairstyle, use of cosmetics, neatness, and stature may cause a listener to form impressions about her occupation, socioeconomic level, competence, etc. Similarly, such details of the surroundings as room size, furnishings, decorations, lighting, and windows can affect a listener's attitudes toward the speaker and the message being presented. The importance of nonverbal clues in surroundings can be seen in the desire of business managers to have a corner office with a view rather than a cubicle in a crowded work area.
BODY LANGUAGE. Body language, and particularly facial expressions, can provide important information that may not be contained in the verbal portion of the communication. Facial expressions are especially helpful as they may show hidden emotions that contradict verbal statements. For example, an employee may deny having knowledge of a problem, but also have a fearful expression and glance around guiltily. Other forms of body language that may provide communication clues include posture and gestures. For example, a manager who puts his feet up on the desk may convey an impression of status and confidence, while an employee who leans forward to listen may convey interest. Gestures can add emphasis and improve understanding when used sparingly, but the continual use of gestures can distract listeners and convey nervousness.
SOUNDS. Finally, the tone, rate, and volume of a speaker's voice can convey different meanings, as can sounds like laughing, throat clearing, or humming. It is also important to note that perfume or other odors contribute to a listener's impressions, as does physical contact between the speaker and the listener. Silence, or the lack of sound, is a form of nonverbal communication as well. Silence can communicate a lack of understanding or even hard feelings in a face-to-face discussion.
Mass communication is the term used to describe the academic study of various means by which individuals and entities relay information to large segments of the population all at once through mass media. It is usually understood to relate to newspaper and magazine publishing, radio, television, and film, as they are used both for disseminating news and for advertising.
Field of study
In the United States, many university journalism departments evolved into schools or colleges of mass communication or "journalism and mass communication," as reflected in the names of two major academic organizations. In addition to studying practical skills of journalism, public relations or advertising, students also may major in "mass communication" or "mass communication research." The latter is often the title given to doctoral studies in such schools, whether the focus of the student's research is journalism practice, history, law or media effects. Departmental structures within such colleges may separate research and instruction in professional or technical aspects of . Mass communication research includes media institutions and processes, such as diffusion of information, and media effects, such as persuasion or manipulation of public opinion.
With the Internet's increased role in delivering news and information, mass communication studies -- and media organizations -- have increasingly focused on the convergence of publishing, broadcasting and digital communication.
The academic mass communication discipline historically differs from media studies and communication studies programs with roots in departments of theatre, film or speech, and with more interest in "qualitative," interpretive theory, critical or cultural approaches to communication study. In contrast, many mass communication programs historically lean toward empirical analysis and quantitative research -- from statistical content analysis of media messages to survey research, public opinion polling, and experimental research.
Interest in "New Media" and "Computer Mediated Communication" is growing much faster than educational institutions can assimilate it. So far, traditional classes and degree programs have not been able to accommodate new paradigm shifts in communication technologies. Although national standards for the study of interactive media have been in place in the U.K. since the mid-nineties, course work in these areas tends to vary significantly from university to university.
Graduates of Mass Communication programs work in a variety of fields in traditional news media and publishing, advertising, public relations and research institutes.
Such programs are accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication is the major membership organization for academics in the field, offering regional and national conferences and refereed publications. The International Communication Association and National Communication Association (formerly the Speech Communication Association) include divisions and publications that overlap with those of AEJMC, but AEJMC historically has stronger ties to the mass communication professions in the United States.
NO MEANING OF EVIDENCE
If terrorist adopts the reel life for their mission then why not we? If they attack on our sovereignty, religion, democracy, heritage, peace, prosperity, humanity & naturality by giving it the name of ‘ JEHAD’ then why not we take quick decision i.e. ‘tit for tat’ & ‘faisla on spot’. Every person of nation have right of self defence & in case of terrorism counter attack is must for cleaning their kinder garden i.e. mostly in the boundary of Pakistan. For what is our government waiting? Nobody is able to understand . Every time they might be waiting for next terrorist attack & for more evidence. In case of Mumbai attacks the evidences were more than expected, then why do not we adopt or follow the Isralian or American style. Whether the citizens of Israel or America have more value than India. If not, then for what we are waiting? It is the time to take quick decisions rather than doing politics or conferencing on every issues.
India is the Country Lord Rama & Krishna who never waits to take decisions more than the limitations of sins. Then how we should forget them. They must be our idols in this respect. Our culture never believes in dying without any struggle then why don’t our government adopt this. Terrorist are ‘ SAITAN OF KABRA’ & this is our duty to remove them from the earth without any formality because they have crossed all the limits of humanity. Mumbai blast, Malegaon blast, Kashmir blasts are some of the great examples of the failure of our government & their policies.
Inspite of evidences our government also pays no attention to the clues given before any of the misconduct by the terrorist. Our government doesn’t thinks of the common man it only thinks & cares of himself. Besides thinking about the Nationality or future of country , our politicians creates their future. It is now the time for us to wake up & make our country free from all their terrorists. Little wait for new…………………Adoptation according to the time & situation for desired result is the rule of the Nature
India is the Country Lord Rama & Krishna who never waits to take decisions more than the limitations of sins. Then how we should forget them. They must be our idols in this respect. Our culture never believes in dying without any struggle then why don’t our government adopt this. Terrorist are ‘ SAITAN OF KABRA’ & this is our duty to remove them from the earth without any formality because they have crossed all the limits of humanity. Mumbai blast, Malegaon blast, Kashmir blasts are some of the great examples of the failure of our government & their policies.
Inspite of evidences our government also pays no attention to the clues given before any of the misconduct by the terrorist. Our government doesn’t thinks of the common man it only thinks & cares of himself. Besides thinking about the Nationality or future of country , our politicians creates their future. It is now the time for us to wake up & make our country free from all their terrorists. Little wait for new…………………Adoptation according to the time & situation for desired result is the rule of the Nature
VITAMINS, but no more!
Those days have passed out when vitamins were known for their efficiency. But now as days are passing on and new researches were made on vitamins in order to act as efficient element they are proving harmful to human body.
Vitamins are organic compounds which cannot be produced by the body and must be supplied in small amounts in the normal health, growth & maintenance of body. These essential to us for the proper functioning of the different organ. The absence or difficiency of a vitamin can cause specific diseases. Multiple deficiencies caused by lack of more than one vitamin are more common in human beings. This condition of vitamin deficiency is knows as AVITAMINOSES. The two big researches made by America on usage of tablets of vitamin C or E shows that it doesn’t lower the possibility of giving CANCER in Prostrate Gland. Likewise these vitamins are also not responsible for the cure of any other diseases. These two researches are published in the magazine of America Medical association, which says that usage of vitamins lowers the possibility of cancer. No information is gained while study made on 3600 peoples that possibility of cancer gets lies use of vitamin tablets. On first study Scientists of University of Texas & Cleveland Clinic Learner College of Medicine gave few types of vitamins to few peoples. Scientist made this study for regular 7 years but due to unwanted result they stopped the research. Second study was made on 15,000 doctors of Brigham & women hospital of Boston. But no affect is obtained regarding the possibility of prostrate cancer or any kind of cancer while research made on 8 years of the usage of vitamin E.
Vitamins are organic compounds which cannot be produced by the body and must be supplied in small amounts in the normal health, growth & maintenance of body. These essential to us for the proper functioning of the different organ. The absence or difficiency of a vitamin can cause specific diseases. Multiple deficiencies caused by lack of more than one vitamin are more common in human beings. This condition of vitamin deficiency is knows as AVITAMINOSES. The two big researches made by America on usage of tablets of vitamin C or E shows that it doesn’t lower the possibility of giving CANCER in Prostrate Gland. Likewise these vitamins are also not responsible for the cure of any other diseases. These two researches are published in the magazine of America Medical association, which says that usage of vitamins lowers the possibility of cancer. No information is gained while study made on 3600 peoples that possibility of cancer gets lies use of vitamin tablets. On first study Scientists of University of Texas & Cleveland Clinic Learner College of Medicine gave few types of vitamins to few peoples. Scientist made this study for regular 7 years but due to unwanted result they stopped the research. Second study was made on 15,000 doctors of Brigham & women hospital of Boston. But no affect is obtained regarding the possibility of prostrate cancer or any kind of cancer while research made on 8 years of the usage of vitamin E.
NEW TRENDS OF BEGGING BY CHILDRENS
Slump in marketing of begging invent new techniques for removing the problem but it is applied only on some specific days one of them is Saturday. On every Saturday children’s of age group 3-6 keep an iron strip in any pot with few mustard oil and in the name of Hindu God Shani comes out for begging. As per the views of few beggars the reason for opting this new trend is just only to cash out the peoples sympathy of religion. According to them no one use to give one rupee coin but this way of begging is proving more appealing & beneficial to them. As peoples in spite of giving one rupee give 5-10 rupee in the name of God Shani as they are afraid of this power. This new trend of begging could be seen every where in City of Navabs Lucknow on Saturday.
MICROPHONES
Microphones just convert a real sound wave into an electrical audio signal. In order to do so, they have a small, light material in them called the diaphragm. When the sound vibrations through the air reach the diaphragm, they cause the diaphragm to vibrate. This in turns will somehow cause an electrical current in the microphone to vary, whereupon it is sent out to a mixer, preamplifier or amplifier for use.
Microphones are typically classified according to how the diaphragms produce sound.
Dynamic Microphones
Dynamic microphones typically use moving-coil technology. This consists of a diaphragm of usually thin plastic being attached directly to a dense coil of wire. The coil has a magnet either surrounding it or at the centre. As the diaphragm vibrates, the coil vibrates, and its changing position relative to the magnet causes a varying current to flow through the coil. This current is your audio signal.
Dynamic microphones have hardy diaphragms, but are typically damaged when the suspension wires break, due to dropping or rough handling. These are the little things that hold the coil and diaphragm in a floating position relative to the magnets.
Dynamic microphones have to cause a whole coil of wires to move, a mountain when you're talking about little movements of air. This makes them not as sensitive as higher-grade microphones, especially to very soft sounds or high-pitched sounds, such as sibilants in speech or harmonics in music. They have a reputation of being very hardy, and some higher grade dynamic microphones can give a very clean and sensitive sound. Dynamic microphones are also known to give a 'fat' sound, which is flattering to those frequencies that the human ear can hear. They are usually not expected to reproduce the sounds they pick up very faithfully.
Because of their hardiness, they are usually used in live performances, where mic droppages and rough handling are the norm. As such the dynamic sound has also been identified as a 'live performance' sound that sounds cruder and more powerful at the expense of pin-sharp clarity. Performers such as Bono from U2 favour simple dynamic microphones over the more standard studio condensers for precisely that reason.
Condenser Microphones
The technology for condenser microphones has improved greatly in recent years, bringing costs down, increasing its hardiness, and making them even better. In condenser microphones, a static charge is impressed on the diaphragm or on a back-plate to the diaphragm. As the diaphragm vibrates, the distance from the back-plate to the diaphragm vibrates, altering the capacitance of the diaphragm and the back-plate. This fluctuating capacitance results in a fluctuating electric current. Voila! You have an audio signal!
Instead of moving a whole coil of wires, condenser microphones only have a thin diaphragm and solid back-plate making up a capacitor. Condenser microphones are therefore sometimes known as capacitor microphones. The quality difference of impressing a charge on the back plate or on the diaphragm is debateable, it is accepted that the smaller and lighter the diaphragm, the more accurate and pin-sharp the sound will be.
The developments in the clarity of condenser microphones has be partially spurred by the development of digital recording. As standards for recording improved, the quality of recording microphones had to improve to keep pace. However, just as digital recording has its detractors, the anal-ness and transparency of condenser microphones are also not universally popular. Most damning is the fact that condenser microphones tends to record sound as it really is. This means that vocalists must be really good, as any imperfections stand out clear as day.
Large-Diaphragm Condenser Mics
This has lead to the creation of large-diaphragm condenser microphones, which use the same basic technology, but have special larger high-quality diaphragms to produce a more flattering sound. Studios usually have an array of expensive large-diaphragm condenser microphones, as each microphone would reproduce the sound in its own special way. When the correct microphone is chosen for a vocalist, the results can be extremely flattering, making the singer much better than he or she really is.
The cost of a large-diaphragm microphone is usually attributed to the R&D cost of creating a microphone that records sound the way you want it, instead of the way it really sounds. Large-diaphragm mics can also maintain most of the high-frequency sensitivity of regular condenser microphones, making them sharp enough for digital recording to do the sound justice.
Phantom Power
Condenser microphones need a source of power to impress the charge on the capacitor. One of three methods is used. Either a battery will be inserted inside the microphone, a permanent charge is retained on the diaphragm or backplate thanks to some clever material scientist, or phantom power is used.
Phantom power is the supply of power through the ground cable of an XLR cable. Ranging from 9 volts to 52 volts, typically 48 volts, this power can be put into the cable either from a mixer, a phantom power box or a battery pack. A mixer might have a button that allows phantom power through the ground cable. A phantom power box is like an intermediate component between a mixer and a mic. It is a box (duh) connected to the mains that essentially just puts a charge on the ground cable. A battery pack does exactly the same thing, but works only with batteries instead of mains power.
Electret Microphones
Note: information in this section might not be very accurate.
Electret microphones are a variant of condenser microphones that mostly utilise a permanently charged diaphragm over a conductive metal back-plate. They somehow tend to be small, even minuscule, cheap and light. They are especially responsive to the range of sounds from the lower mids to the highest frequencies, i.e. they aren't very good for bass. Back-electret microphones use a charged back-plate instead of a charged diaphragm. These may or may not be phantom powered. Electret and back-electret microphones have special preference for voice communication, where clarity of speech is essential at the sacrifice of perfect sound reproduction.
Plaintalk Microphones
The microphones that are designed specially for use with Macintosh sound-in jacks are called Plaintalk Microphones. They have a special mini-phone jack that is slightly longer than the standard mini-phone jack, and has 4 contact points instead of 3. The last contact point at the tip is meant to carry phantom power up to the cable in order to power the back-electret microphone. The other three contact points are in the same arrangement and have the same purpose and standard stereo mini-phone jacks.
The phantom power provided by Macintoshes is only enough for the microphones that Apple provides or recommends, and is thus not as universal as true 48V phantom power. However, since standard mini phone jacks will not be long enough to reach the last contact point, they can be used with Macintosh sound-in jacks easily as long as they do not require phantom power.
Ribbon Microphones
Note: information in this section might not be very accurate.
These are very rare, and only used in the best recording studios. They are very sensitive to shock and large sound volumes, and tend to be damaged easily. They consist of a thin ribbon of a metallic foil suspended in front of a metal plate. Sound waves cause the foil to vibrate, causing fluctuations in the electrical current. Thus, an electrical audio signal is created.
Now that condenser microphones are sensitive enough for studio use, they have mostly replaced ribbon microphones as the mics of choice in professional situations. Ribbon microphones are still reserved for very specialised applications. Condenser microphones are also hardier than ribbon mics and cheaper to replace.
Carbon Granule Microphones
These are the microphones found in many older telephones. They consist of a heavy diaphragm placed within a 'bath' of minuscule carbon granules, sealed to prevent the granules from falling out. As with graphite cables, the carbon is there to conduct electricity. The vibration of the diaphragm alters the resistance of current passing through the microphone, creating an audio signal. Note that this type of microphone requires an electrical current to pass through its circuitry, while dynamic microphones create their own current. Condenser microphones sometimes have batteries within them, so they might be considered as being able to create their own current.
These microphones are more responsive to middle frequencies and do not reproduce sibilants clearly. However, telephone speakers in the handsets are usually equally dreadful, so there isn't much point in having a super microphone. They are cheap, hardy and in common use.
Pickup Patterns
Microphones are made with certain applications in mind. For example, stage use, studio use or field recording use. Microphones are not always expected to pick up sound universally and from all directions. The way that a microphone picks up sound from various directions is known as its pickup pattern. There are a few standard pickup patterns: Omnidirectional, Unidirectional, Bidirectional and Cardioid. Pickup patterns are usually depicted as polar diagrams, a circular graph of sensitivity of a microphone from various directions
Omnidirectional
Literally, from all directions. Omnidirectional microphones pick up sound well from all directions, and are frequently used for recording ambient and background sound. Omnidirectional microphones are also used for vocals, because of their lack of proximity effect. They could be used for recording of a group of vocalists, although the preferred method would to split the group into individual singers and each one having their own microphone.
Unidirectional
Literally, from one direction. Although cardioid microphones could arguably be unidirectional, the term 'unidirectional' is now usually reserved for 'gun' microphones. These microphones are long and rod shaped. Grooves on the side of the microphone allow sound coming from the sides to either pass through without reaching the pickup or cancel each other out. As a result, only a thin, cone-shaped area in front of the microphone is picked up satisfactorily. Gun microphones are good for recording individual voices in noisy locations, such as interviews, as well as picking up sound from a long distance.
Bidirectional
Literally...well, guess what it means. Correct! It picks up sound from two opposite directions! Also known as the figure-8 pickup, as the pickup pattern resembles a figure-8 when viewed from above. It used to be popular in the old days when two people would stand around a microphone and sing a duet, but now it is usually preferred to mic each person up separately.
Cardioid
Cardioid microphones have a heart-shaped pickup pattern. Probably the most common microphones in use today, They reject sound coming from the back of a microphone and are progressively more sensitive to sounds as the direction approaches the front of the microphone. They are favoured for stage use as they do not pick up the sound from on stage speakers or monitors so readily, thus preventing feedback. There are versions of the Cardioid pattern called Supercardioid and Hypercardioid, which represent increasingly limited ranges of pickup. As the pattern narrows, feedback rejection improves even more, but due to limitations of construction, a narrowing of the pattern does add a little sensitivity directly behind the microphone. The narrowing does cause the sound recorded to be more pinched and less flattering, but in a stage situation with many speakers placed in unsuitable places, a hypercardioid microphone can be a highly effective feedback prevention measure.
Proximity Effect
Cardioid microphones have a funny phenomenon called the Proximity Effect. This describes the increase in bass as the microphone moves nearer the sound source. Similarly, the further a cardioid microphone is from a source of sound, the more pinched it will sound. Experienced vocalists and producers have used this phenomenon to great effect, especially in simulating a punchy, 'live' effect by almost eating the microphone while singing. The proximity effect can also cause problems, especially when dealing with inexperienced speakers, as the tonal qualities of his or her voice will change as he or she moves his head.
Speciality Mics
A number microphones are considered unique not because of the technology involved, but more importantly, they are designed for certain unique purposes. Even so, considerable success has been reported in utilising these mics in situations they were not designed for.
Wireless Mics
Very visible in Karaoke bars and stage performances, wireless mics can be both convenient (no cables) and a pain in the ass (batteries needed, interference from outside sources). These mics are essentially the same as ordinary microphones with a transmitter. The transmitter can be in the body of a handheld mic (which accounts for the larger size of a wireless) or in a separate belt-worn pack (for lavaliers and instrument pickups (popular for electric guitarists). Wireless microphones typically transmit on only one unique frequency per mic. A 'true diversity' wireless system will have two antennae on the receiver end (which, incidentally, usually puts out a line-level signal for the mixer instead of a mic signal). When the signal strength between the two antennae varies, the receiver will opt to receive the signal from the stronger antennae. This switching can be very rapid and is usually unnoticeable. True diversity wireless systems are usually far less sensitive to radio interference and blockage than single-antennae systems.
Lavalier Mics
The familiar 'interviewer's collar pin', which consists of a small, usually electret microphone worn at the chest, clipped to clothing. This can either be corded or wireless, though the latter is usually preferred. The wireless version runs into a transmitter, usually worn on the belt. Lavalier mics can be powered by batteries or phantom power, depending on the make of the mic. They have also been good for miking up wind instruments, clipped to the edge of the 'bell'.
Microphones are typically classified according to how the diaphragms produce sound.
Dynamic Microphones
Dynamic microphones typically use moving-coil technology. This consists of a diaphragm of usually thin plastic being attached directly to a dense coil of wire. The coil has a magnet either surrounding it or at the centre. As the diaphragm vibrates, the coil vibrates, and its changing position relative to the magnet causes a varying current to flow through the coil. This current is your audio signal.
Dynamic microphones have hardy diaphragms, but are typically damaged when the suspension wires break, due to dropping or rough handling. These are the little things that hold the coil and diaphragm in a floating position relative to the magnets.
Dynamic microphones have to cause a whole coil of wires to move, a mountain when you're talking about little movements of air. This makes them not as sensitive as higher-grade microphones, especially to very soft sounds or high-pitched sounds, such as sibilants in speech or harmonics in music. They have a reputation of being very hardy, and some higher grade dynamic microphones can give a very clean and sensitive sound. Dynamic microphones are also known to give a 'fat' sound, which is flattering to those frequencies that the human ear can hear. They are usually not expected to reproduce the sounds they pick up very faithfully.
Because of their hardiness, they are usually used in live performances, where mic droppages and rough handling are the norm. As such the dynamic sound has also been identified as a 'live performance' sound that sounds cruder and more powerful at the expense of pin-sharp clarity. Performers such as Bono from U2 favour simple dynamic microphones over the more standard studio condensers for precisely that reason.
Condenser Microphones
The technology for condenser microphones has improved greatly in recent years, bringing costs down, increasing its hardiness, and making them even better. In condenser microphones, a static charge is impressed on the diaphragm or on a back-plate to the diaphragm. As the diaphragm vibrates, the distance from the back-plate to the diaphragm vibrates, altering the capacitance of the diaphragm and the back-plate. This fluctuating capacitance results in a fluctuating electric current. Voila! You have an audio signal!
Instead of moving a whole coil of wires, condenser microphones only have a thin diaphragm and solid back-plate making up a capacitor. Condenser microphones are therefore sometimes known as capacitor microphones. The quality difference of impressing a charge on the back plate or on the diaphragm is debateable, it is accepted that the smaller and lighter the diaphragm, the more accurate and pin-sharp the sound will be.
The developments in the clarity of condenser microphones has be partially spurred by the development of digital recording. As standards for recording improved, the quality of recording microphones had to improve to keep pace. However, just as digital recording has its detractors, the anal-ness and transparency of condenser microphones are also not universally popular. Most damning is the fact that condenser microphones tends to record sound as it really is. This means that vocalists must be really good, as any imperfections stand out clear as day.
Large-Diaphragm Condenser Mics
This has lead to the creation of large-diaphragm condenser microphones, which use the same basic technology, but have special larger high-quality diaphragms to produce a more flattering sound. Studios usually have an array of expensive large-diaphragm condenser microphones, as each microphone would reproduce the sound in its own special way. When the correct microphone is chosen for a vocalist, the results can be extremely flattering, making the singer much better than he or she really is.
The cost of a large-diaphragm microphone is usually attributed to the R&D cost of creating a microphone that records sound the way you want it, instead of the way it really sounds. Large-diaphragm mics can also maintain most of the high-frequency sensitivity of regular condenser microphones, making them sharp enough for digital recording to do the sound justice.
Phantom Power
Condenser microphones need a source of power to impress the charge on the capacitor. One of three methods is used. Either a battery will be inserted inside the microphone, a permanent charge is retained on the diaphragm or backplate thanks to some clever material scientist, or phantom power is used.
Phantom power is the supply of power through the ground cable of an XLR cable. Ranging from 9 volts to 52 volts, typically 48 volts, this power can be put into the cable either from a mixer, a phantom power box or a battery pack. A mixer might have a button that allows phantom power through the ground cable. A phantom power box is like an intermediate component between a mixer and a mic. It is a box (duh) connected to the mains that essentially just puts a charge on the ground cable. A battery pack does exactly the same thing, but works only with batteries instead of mains power.
Electret Microphones
Note: information in this section might not be very accurate.
Electret microphones are a variant of condenser microphones that mostly utilise a permanently charged diaphragm over a conductive metal back-plate. They somehow tend to be small, even minuscule, cheap and light. They are especially responsive to the range of sounds from the lower mids to the highest frequencies, i.e. they aren't very good for bass. Back-electret microphones use a charged back-plate instead of a charged diaphragm. These may or may not be phantom powered. Electret and back-electret microphones have special preference for voice communication, where clarity of speech is essential at the sacrifice of perfect sound reproduction.
Plaintalk Microphones
The microphones that are designed specially for use with Macintosh sound-in jacks are called Plaintalk Microphones. They have a special mini-phone jack that is slightly longer than the standard mini-phone jack, and has 4 contact points instead of 3. The last contact point at the tip is meant to carry phantom power up to the cable in order to power the back-electret microphone. The other three contact points are in the same arrangement and have the same purpose and standard stereo mini-phone jacks.
The phantom power provided by Macintoshes is only enough for the microphones that Apple provides or recommends, and is thus not as universal as true 48V phantom power. However, since standard mini phone jacks will not be long enough to reach the last contact point, they can be used with Macintosh sound-in jacks easily as long as they do not require phantom power.
Ribbon Microphones
Note: information in this section might not be very accurate.
These are very rare, and only used in the best recording studios. They are very sensitive to shock and large sound volumes, and tend to be damaged easily. They consist of a thin ribbon of a metallic foil suspended in front of a metal plate. Sound waves cause the foil to vibrate, causing fluctuations in the electrical current. Thus, an electrical audio signal is created.
Now that condenser microphones are sensitive enough for studio use, they have mostly replaced ribbon microphones as the mics of choice in professional situations. Ribbon microphones are still reserved for very specialised applications. Condenser microphones are also hardier than ribbon mics and cheaper to replace.
Carbon Granule Microphones
These are the microphones found in many older telephones. They consist of a heavy diaphragm placed within a 'bath' of minuscule carbon granules, sealed to prevent the granules from falling out. As with graphite cables, the carbon is there to conduct electricity. The vibration of the diaphragm alters the resistance of current passing through the microphone, creating an audio signal. Note that this type of microphone requires an electrical current to pass through its circuitry, while dynamic microphones create their own current. Condenser microphones sometimes have batteries within them, so they might be considered as being able to create their own current.
These microphones are more responsive to middle frequencies and do not reproduce sibilants clearly. However, telephone speakers in the handsets are usually equally dreadful, so there isn't much point in having a super microphone. They are cheap, hardy and in common use.
Pickup Patterns
Microphones are made with certain applications in mind. For example, stage use, studio use or field recording use. Microphones are not always expected to pick up sound universally and from all directions. The way that a microphone picks up sound from various directions is known as its pickup pattern. There are a few standard pickup patterns: Omnidirectional, Unidirectional, Bidirectional and Cardioid. Pickup patterns are usually depicted as polar diagrams, a circular graph of sensitivity of a microphone from various directions
Omnidirectional
Literally, from all directions. Omnidirectional microphones pick up sound well from all directions, and are frequently used for recording ambient and background sound. Omnidirectional microphones are also used for vocals, because of their lack of proximity effect. They could be used for recording of a group of vocalists, although the preferred method would to split the group into individual singers and each one having their own microphone.
Unidirectional
Literally, from one direction. Although cardioid microphones could arguably be unidirectional, the term 'unidirectional' is now usually reserved for 'gun' microphones. These microphones are long and rod shaped. Grooves on the side of the microphone allow sound coming from the sides to either pass through without reaching the pickup or cancel each other out. As a result, only a thin, cone-shaped area in front of the microphone is picked up satisfactorily. Gun microphones are good for recording individual voices in noisy locations, such as interviews, as well as picking up sound from a long distance.
Bidirectional
Literally...well, guess what it means. Correct! It picks up sound from two opposite directions! Also known as the figure-8 pickup, as the pickup pattern resembles a figure-8 when viewed from above. It used to be popular in the old days when two people would stand around a microphone and sing a duet, but now it is usually preferred to mic each person up separately.
Cardioid
Cardioid microphones have a heart-shaped pickup pattern. Probably the most common microphones in use today, They reject sound coming from the back of a microphone and are progressively more sensitive to sounds as the direction approaches the front of the microphone. They are favoured for stage use as they do not pick up the sound from on stage speakers or monitors so readily, thus preventing feedback. There are versions of the Cardioid pattern called Supercardioid and Hypercardioid, which represent increasingly limited ranges of pickup. As the pattern narrows, feedback rejection improves even more, but due to limitations of construction, a narrowing of the pattern does add a little sensitivity directly behind the microphone. The narrowing does cause the sound recorded to be more pinched and less flattering, but in a stage situation with many speakers placed in unsuitable places, a hypercardioid microphone can be a highly effective feedback prevention measure.
Proximity Effect
Cardioid microphones have a funny phenomenon called the Proximity Effect. This describes the increase in bass as the microphone moves nearer the sound source. Similarly, the further a cardioid microphone is from a source of sound, the more pinched it will sound. Experienced vocalists and producers have used this phenomenon to great effect, especially in simulating a punchy, 'live' effect by almost eating the microphone while singing. The proximity effect can also cause problems, especially when dealing with inexperienced speakers, as the tonal qualities of his or her voice will change as he or she moves his head.
Speciality Mics
A number microphones are considered unique not because of the technology involved, but more importantly, they are designed for certain unique purposes. Even so, considerable success has been reported in utilising these mics in situations they were not designed for.
Wireless Mics
Very visible in Karaoke bars and stage performances, wireless mics can be both convenient (no cables) and a pain in the ass (batteries needed, interference from outside sources). These mics are essentially the same as ordinary microphones with a transmitter. The transmitter can be in the body of a handheld mic (which accounts for the larger size of a wireless) or in a separate belt-worn pack (for lavaliers and instrument pickups (popular for electric guitarists). Wireless microphones typically transmit on only one unique frequency per mic. A 'true diversity' wireless system will have two antennae on the receiver end (which, incidentally, usually puts out a line-level signal for the mixer instead of a mic signal). When the signal strength between the two antennae varies, the receiver will opt to receive the signal from the stronger antennae. This switching can be very rapid and is usually unnoticeable. True diversity wireless systems are usually far less sensitive to radio interference and blockage than single-antennae systems.
Lavalier Mics
The familiar 'interviewer's collar pin', which consists of a small, usually electret microphone worn at the chest, clipped to clothing. This can either be corded or wireless, though the latter is usually preferred. The wireless version runs into a transmitter, usually worn on the belt. Lavalier mics can be powered by batteries or phantom power, depending on the make of the mic. They have also been good for miking up wind instruments, clipped to the edge of the 'bell'.
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