Medium Theory & Media.

Large, medium and small. The context of medium is completely different from the general meaning of medium that we all know all - not too big, and not too small. The real meaning of a medium is its capacity to transform human minds and human affairs and that is what the Medium theory represents. In this theory, it is believed that each medium of communication has fixed characteristics that influence communication in a particular manner. We are influenced by many things in the society that we live in today, but the way we communicate, act and understand is all learned. The Medium theory studies this. An example of a mass medium indicator in media is the Internet.

The real message of the internet is its capacity to extend "human sight, speech, and memory to an unprecedented degree." The goal is to reach a massive area and to influence. A lead indicator in this theory was Marshall McLuhan. He continuously evaluated different types of media based on a metaphorical understanding of their interactive “temperature” - referring to the variations of mediums as either hot or cool.

Hot medium: technology whose message is linear, sequential, and strictly controlled (Radio, Cinema, Video games)

Cool Medium: technology whose message favours participation and is multi-vocal and open ended. little given and much has to be filled in by listener/viewer. (Telephone, Television) 

Media has always been a major factor in the things we understand, what we are influenced by, and also in the ways we communicate. We are not necessarily defined by media, but we are engulfed into the trends bestowed onto us by the media and we channel them into our daily lives. Seeing how we are at the final end of the semester, I remember clearly Professor Petit speaking about how we are influenced by media and we do not even know it. Maybe we are, maybe we are not. But media triggers a reaction out of all of us and that is exactly what they want.