Individual Research Paper
Introduction
Communication is a vital part of human interaction. It
can’t be easily avoided, and all individuals are part of it one way or another.
Although communication brings endless benefits to life in society and
interaction between human beings, it can also be responsible for scandals,
crisis, and disagreement. The world is constantly dealing with conflicts that
have many different causes: religion, politics, finances, etc. However, all
conflicts have one element in common, which is communication. The way
individuals and groups interact with each other is crucial in determining how a
conflict will end or move on. Misinterpretations are often the cause for issues
that could have been easily resolved if the parties involved would have
communicated better. This essay will analyze and explain a communication
concept that is key for life in society: mass communication. The essay will
also explain how this concept has influenced a very recent scandal that has
shaken America’s favorite sport: the Ray Rice domestic violence scandal.
Mass Communication
Communication can occur in many
different aspects and situations. The main contexts in which communication can
occur are: interpersonal, which is a face-to-face communication between
individuals; intrapersonal, which represents the communication individuals have
with themselves; group, which is the communication to a group of people that
can be large or small; public, which is the communication to a large group of
listeners; organizational, which is the communication among large and extended
environments; intercultural, which is the communication between members of
different cultural backgrounds; and mass, which is the communication, through
mediated forms, to a very large audience (West & Turner, 2004). West and
Turner (2004) explain that “… we identify mass communication as communication
to a large audience via multiple channels of communication. The mass
communication context, therefore, includes both the channel and the audience”
(p. 40).
The Scandal
In September of 2014 the gossip website TMZ released a
video in which the running back of the Baltimore Ravens, Ray Rice, is shown
violently attacking his then fiancée in an elevator. Because football and the
NFL play such an important part in the American life, these news immediately created
an uproar not only in the football community, but all over the country – and
possibly the world. Domestic violence – although unacceptable and disgusting –
is not a rare occurrence in the United States. According to the National
Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS), one in every four women
has been a victim of severe physical violence by an intimate partner (National
Coalition against Domestic Violence, 2014).
In the case of Ray Rice, if the violence wasn’t enough to
spark the scandal, the attitude of the NFL in the situation only made things
worse. Back in February of 2014, a video was released showing the football
player dragging his fiancée’s limp body out of the elevator and towards the
street. At that time, the NFL suspended the player for two games, and his team,
the Baltimore Ravens, took no disciplinary action at all. It wasn’t until TMZ
released the video of the actual assault that the NFL suspended the player
indefinitely.
The Impact of the Mass
Communication on the Scandal
As
previously mentioned, the medial had a vital impact on the scandal involving
Ray Rice’s domestic violence against his fiancée. If the gossip site hasn’t
released the video of the assault, the player would have not faced any real
consequences, aside from the lenient and insignificant penalty of a two games
suspension. Allegedly, the NFL knew all about the incident since February. But
because the media hasn’t reported it and the masses weren’t aware of it, it
figuratively slapped the players hand and moved on as if nothing had happened.
It wasn’t until the media (first TMZ, and immediately following that release,
every other media channel in the country, such as CNN, Fox, newspapers,
Twitter, etc.) exposed the story that real consequences occurred – at least
towards the player, since the NFL, who has been covering for the player since
February, suffered nothing but another mark on its already flawed reputation.
The main cause of this scandal was obviously Ray Rice’s
inadmissible violent personality and the attack towards his fiancée (who is now
his wife). However, other factors were crucial for the development of the
scandal. First, the National Football League’s actions (or lack of thereof).
Secondly, the way the media acted towards the victim, who was blamed for her
part in the incident and later went to the media to defend her now husband. In
fact, one of the biggest parts that technology played in this scandal was the
fact that in February, before the world has seen the violent attack in a video,
the Baltimore Ravens released a Twitter saying that “Janay Rice says she deeply
regrets the role that she played the night of the incident”. The football team
and its organization were clearly siding with the abuser over the victim. All
these factors combined helped create a scenario that enraged an entire country.
Coming to an Educated Conclusion
In this modern technological era we currently find
ourselves in, there are several advantages and disadvantages that come from the
easily available copious amounts of sources and information. Although
beneficial, so much information regarding a subject can be overwhelming. How to
draw a conclusion that is accurate and unbiased? Unfortunately, this is a
difficult task. Media outlets are known for their biased position – some are
liberal, some are republican, some are democratic. Some want to be polemic and
some want to be scandalous. Because of that, when a situation like the Ray Rice
Scandal arises, one must be able to research and identify sources that are
reliable and the ones that are not. The key word in this situation is “filter”.
Although reading a large amount of information is not detrimental to the
conclusion, one must be able to filter which information is valuable and which
is not.
Research Methods
When it comes to researching valuable information, there
are several methods a researcher can chose from. Methods can be quantitative or
qualitative, depending on what type of information the researcher is trying to
find out. In the situation of trying to find reliable information regarding the
scandal mentioned previously, one of the most valuable methods would be context
analysis, which is the exploration of texts, imagines, recordings, etc. This
method enables the researcher to determine the main themes being presented in
the publications, and consequently analyze what type of information is being shared
more often. Another research method that would be helpful under these
circumstances would be depth interview, which is the technique in which
personal views and opinions of people on the research topic is identified (West
& Turner, 2004).
Conclusion
Mass media is an important element in modern society,
since developments in technology have created an environment in which
information can be shared at the same time in multiple channels and with
different perspectives. This flexibility allows for individuals to learn about
events almost immediately as they happen, but with that comes the need to
discernment. Not all information available is valid, and when the information
is regarding individual’s lives, information must be taken with a grain of
salt. Researching is an important process, since it allows individuals to
gather information from different sources and make educated conclusions.
References
National coalition
against domestic violence. (2014). Retrieved from
http://www.ncadv.org/resources/FactSheets.php
West, R. & Turner, L.
(2004). Introducing communication theory:
Analysis and application. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.
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