Marshall McLuhan was one of the first theorists in the beginning of televison who analyzed how media is received by its audience. However, he made an interesting conclusion that maybe it is not the content of the media itself that carries the meaning, but rather the medium itself. The medium that presents the content is actually an excellent way to tune into the people who are viewing it. He compacts his theories into a simple phrase: “The Medium is the Message.” This phrase may seem confusing to understand at first because of its simplicity and lack of context, but upon further analysis makes so much sense.
To clarify first, McLuhan describes any medium as “any extension of ourselves” that allows a person to accomplish something that their body alone could not do (Federman). This loose definition makes basically anything a medium of some form. Any object could possibly convey some message through the context that it exists within. For instance, stainless steel water bottles are just a drinking receptacle on one hand, but if you look further there are many meanings expressed by this object. These water bottles communicate a sustainable, more environmentally conscious image. Owners of these convey the message of a more “green,” eco-friendly individual. Most objects are seen as insignificant and commonplace, but you can definitely find a message in everything, and apply that to the person who is employing that specific medium. In “What is the Meaning of The Medium is the Message” by Mark Federman he says how “Many people presume the conventional meaning for "medium" that refers to the mass-media of communications - radio, television, the press, the Internet,” but we must also take into account all of the other forms that exist.
It has become evident that different mediums have the ability to cause numerous long-standing affects. McLuhan’s stance was that of a “technological determinist who credited the electronic media with the ability to exact profound social, cultural and political influences. (Zechowski)” Technological determinism is the theory that technology affects and transforms the society that it becomes a part of. These results tend to change the way that society functions once a new medium becomes prevalent. A common example is that television and video games cause adolescent obesity. Rather than concluding that many factors in this population’s lifestyle cause them to be overweight, in focuses more on the technology involved. He calls to attention that “it is not the content or use of the innovation, but the change in inter-personal dynamics that the innovation brings with it” (Federman). People are not made overweight by what they are viewing on television, but rather the change in lifestyle when society takes part in such a sedimentary activity on a daily basis.
Technology and media can synonymously be used when referring to how they create or make visible patterns within society. Before television, people were more tied to their own communities, not really seeing the greater scope of things in a state, national, or global context. Because they were limited to only their surroundings, people were content to their own way of life, what they had always been used to and conceived as normal. Once they were exposed to radio and then even more so with television, audiences now could see many groups being represented and many different ways of life. People were able to compare their lifestyles and experiences with other and recognize the patterns of society in their own context. This gave the viewing public the opportunity to become dissatisfied with their routines. During this time period, people became more aware of the complex issues that were rampant in the United States and world. It is a technological deterministic thought that the opportunities for insight brought by the television were a root in the rebellious era of the Sixties. While Vietnam was the first war to be vehemently opposed to by the American public, it was also the first to be broadcast on television. The medium itself is what is important than the content in this case: people became more aware and connected to the world around them, not just exposed to images of war.
The affects of television as a medium can easily be seen in the Kennedy-Nixon election. Marshall McLuhan describes in “Understanding Radio” how Richard Nixon was seen as the clear candidate by listening to the radio debates, it was the visual that made a dramatic affect on the voting public. This was the first televised debate for a Presidential election, and seeing John F. Kennedy on the screen made a big difference. He was much more attractive and accessible looking than Nixon, and the public preference quickly switched to Kennedy who of course won the election. You can easily see how the medium of television can have profound effects on the viewers. The image presented by the television was more important than the actual content, in this case the debate.
While McLuhan agrees that technology affects society in a profound way, he also sees how the audience has now taken a producer role in many aspects. In a 1971 interview he talks about how the invention of the instant replay was a direct result of the consumers’ demand. The audience now has more control over seeing specific plays, and is now acting as their own referees, making calls and judgments over what they can now see repeatedly and close up. The idea of consumers as producers is easily seen by YouTube, in which anyone can easily make their own video and broadcast it to a wide audience.
Marshall McLuhan made great strides in explaining how technology and the media act as part of society. His idea of “The Medium as the Message” describes how the content is not as important as the way a medium itself impacts and relates to society. Technological determinism provides a firm basis in his theories of mediums changing its audiences, while also taking into account the dynamic changes that occur when the audience takes on the role of producer.
- Sources:
- "What is the Meaning of The Medium is the Message?" by Mark Federman
- "Understanding Radio by Marshall McLuhan Communication in History
- "Marshall McLuhan" by Sharon Zechowski
