Media Technologies

Media technologies have changed the way we communicate today. Using any form of media technology will help to enhance the way messages are created, sent, and received. Today, media technologies have formed a new era of communication from both a personal and professional level. Four media technologies communication that are very popular are: E-mails, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

E-mails are the most widely used type of electronic written communication. Today, electronic e-mail is the main communication medium for millions. E-mails are used to request and deliver information for both internal and external organizational communication. Roebuck (2006) states that “e-mail communication allows organizations, employees, and clients to communicate on a global basis at virtually anytime and any place” (p. 119). Corporations, teachers, students, and government organizations are intended audiences for e-mail communication.

The direct approach is appropriate to use when an issue will not generate an emotional response. For example, an e-mail message telling employees that the cafeteria will be closed for one day to permit installation of new equipment can be written using the direct approach. The indirect approach is used to communicate a problem or bad news. For example, a message telling employees that the cafeteria will be closed permanently may require the indirect approach (Roebuck, 2006, 87).

E-mails are written to deliver bad news and knowing how to deliver the bad news effectively is important. Whether the direct or indirect writing approach is used should be determined by the relationship with the reader or receiver and the seriousness of the problem or situation. However, when delivering bad news use a positive and courteous tone to convey the message. Use the indirect approach to write an email to a person to directly communicate bad news. The indirect writing approach will explain the bad news, present the refusal, and provide a positive and goodwill ending (Roebuck, 2006, p. 88).

Facebook is the most popular social communication website in the world where people can communicate with nearly anyone and keep in touch. Facebook is a network website for social communication and media marketing (Nations, 2011). The audiences intended for Facebook are family, friends, students, news media, journalists, organizations, politicians, and global or international.

Facebook was started as a social network for college students at Harvard University by Mark Zuckerberg, the founder in 2004. However, Facebook became such a hit, it quickly increased to other colleges. Facebook became accessible to high schools in 2005, and in 2006 it was available to everyone (Nations, 2011).

Today, Facebook has now become a social website network that attracts so many people and organizations as users. Facebook is used to communicate with friends and family and to search for old lost friends. Users can choose the privacy setting to decide who can see what is in his or her profile. Facebook also provides a friends list for users to keep. This media technology has the ability to appeal to both people and businesses with equal success.

Facebook has changed the way people socialized and communicate. People are now socially connected by way of their computers, cell phones, and personal digital assistants (PDAs). Facebook is a media technology which has provided a platform to bring people together to communicate and socialize in a social network setting. This media technology will continue to provide and promote people and businesses to take advantage of social network websites.       

Twitter is a social messaging tool for quickly communicating a message to a group of people and to keep people informed of latest news and events. Twitter is news reporting for CNN, Fox, and other news organizations. Since Twitter is social messaging website, it has the ability to follow people and have followers, and the ability to interact with Twitter on a cell phone (Nations, 2011). The news media, journalists, entertainers, celebrities, politicians, students, friends, and family are intended audiences for Twitter.

            Twitter has become the ideal social messaging tool. During President Barack Obama’s Presidential campaign, Twitter was a very successful tool to use, which kept supporters informed with latest campaign news and events. Just a few years ago, Twitter was not known or very popular, but it is a media technology with amazing success. Twitter has taken the process of reporting news and information to a different level.

            Today, Twitter is used by everyone including magazines and movie stars, which is a quick way to connect with an audience. For example, recently Charlie Sheen has been all over the news. He joined Twitter and now has a million followers. Twitter is the perfect social messaging forum for Charlie Sheen to reach his fans. Twitter is also described as an event coordinator, a business tool, a news reporting service, and a marketing service (Nations, 2011). With Twitter users have the ability to follow people and have followers send and receive short messages about any latest breaking news or event quickly, is an effective form of media technology.

           

YouTube is one of the most popular web portals in the world where it allows users to submit, upload, share, and view videos created by virtually people all over the world. YouTube is a media technology, which has taken the concept of viral videos to a new level where a video can become an instant hit. Users can search through a large video section by using keywords quickly and easily (Nations, 2011). The intended audiences for YouTube are organizations, adults, children and youth, and global or international.

As a media technology, YouTube provides music videos, movie clips, and comedy skits that are entertaining and fun to watch from your computer. Whether it is an old music video or the latest music video, it is available on YouTube. Since February 2005, YouTube has become the web portal for personal and professional videos. For example, Susan Boyle became an instant YouTube sensation and recording artist because of the positive review of her music video.

Recently, Ted Williams, a homeless man with the “golden voice” video was seen by people all over the world. Mr. Williams was no longer homeless, but he received invitations to be interviewed by every talk show host and journalist. This was an inspiring story that gained national attention because of YouTube. YouTube is a media technology which is used to view viral videos with a message or music to a vast audience. YouTube will continue to be a media technology where people can review any viral video for research and entertainment.

References

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Nations, D. (2011). About.com. Facebook Profile - What is Facebook? Retrieved March 14, 2011, from http://webtrends.about.com/od/profiles/fr/facebook-profile-what-is-facebook.htm

Nations, D. (2011). About.com. What is Twitter? Retrieved March 14, 2011, from http://webtrends.about.com/od/socialnetworking/a/what-is-twitter.htm

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Roebuck, D.B. (2006).  Improving business communications skills (4th Ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Twitip.com (2011). 181 free Twitter buttons, badges, widget and counters to help you find followers. Retrieved March 22, 2011, from http://www.twitip.com/181-twitter-buttons-badges-widget-and-counters-to-help-you-find-followers/

YouTube (2011). YouTube wall papers. YouTube logo pictures images for videos. Retrieved March 22, 2011, from http://www.wallpaperama.com/forums/youtube-wallpapers-youtube-logo-pictures-images-fo-videos-t1738.html?fb_xd_fragment#?=&cb=f16991115330a53&relation=parent.parent&transport=fragment&type=resize&height=22&ackData[id]=1