Before we can examine the influence of the media, we need to understand that communication theories, models and research arise out of one or more of three different models that describe the relationship between the media and society.
• The Political Economy Model
• The Effects Model
• The Cultural Model
What is the difference between a Communication Theory and a Communication Model?
Often these terms are used interchangeably however, it’s good to understand the difference between them.
• A Communication Theory is a set of systematic informed generalisations about how the communication process may work.
• A Communication Model is a theoretical and simplified representation of the communication process. Models are metaphors. They allow us to see one thing in terms of another and can be useful to illustrate theories.