How media affect audiences (analysis done using media theories)

You can see the negative taglines or captions accompanying the cigarette boxes. Both talk about the negative effects that will happen if you smoke.
Some of us would not be affected by this message while some may, depending on the perspective we view this advertisement. Some may be reminded to quit smoking because of this constant reminder whenever they take one out to lit. Some may just ignore the message printed there or get so used to seeing it, that it no longer matters to them.


Therefore, media influences and affects audiences by the setting of their agenda, production of hegemonic messages, cultivation of worldviews and the affecting cognitive practices and expectations.

At the same time, audiences do have their own ways of resisting media too. This can be done through selective processing, the conducting of oppositional readings and the usuage of media for individual gratification.

Firstly, i will talk about the powerful effects theory. People who believe in this model are passive receivers who accept media messages at face value and unconciously allow media sources to tell them what to think.

However, for the limited effects theory, the audience interprets messages according to their own pre-existing beliefs and values before using them in unique ways. The receivers are active processors who are capable of defending themselves against media influences.

Personally, i would choose the limited effects theory, but sometimes, circumstances may cause me to subconciously employ the powerful effects theory.

Intercultural communication

According to Geert Hofstede, culture is the "collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from another, which includes systems of values and values are among the building blocks of culture."

Cultures are actually templates for living whereby it tells us who we actually are, the groups we belong to and the way we live our lives. It is an influence on our perspective towards life, as well as it inteprets the behaviour we exhibit.

Let's look at the traditional weddings we have in Singapore, for the chinese and malays. They are people living in the same country,working in the same environment and yet have such different sets of traditional values regarding major decisions.

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The traditional chinese wedding held in Singapore is typically in a dinner setting, within a large modern hotel. The other thing you’ll see is that during the dinner, there will be a ‘toast’ called ‘Yam Seng’ where the happy couple give a toast to the crowd of a few hundred people. This is usually followed by a ‘speech’ session where the groom or bride speak about how they met and also to give thanks to the family and friends who have helped them in their preparation.This is rather important to the older generation, who feel that their children must have a ‘grand’ wedding to give their families ‘face’.
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A traditional Malay wedding is usually held in a Housing Development Board (HDB) void deck and is strewn with beautiful lights. You’ll see the happy couple in Malay garb and seated in a grand seat where they pay respects to their elders and entertain the guests. Malays in Singapore are a traditional lot, and usually you will see that they are deeply respectful to theis family and relatives.
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Group Communication

As you can see from this picture, a photographer is taking a picture of two cowboys hard at work. From my perspective, they are either doing this for a living or its their hobby during their leisure time.
But whatever it is, it depicts communication as a group.


Trenholm (2004)- "A group is a collection of individuals who,as a result of interacting with one another over time,become interdependent,developing shared patterns of behaviour and a collective identity."

We can see that they are working hand in hand to repair or fix something that is to do with the wires.
This would require interdependence because one action by any one of them would affect the outcome or result.
Interaction would be the other obvious sign that two or more people display,when they are part of a team.
Being a small team of two, we can see that communication is direct and the participation level is equal to provide sufficient support for one another.

Should any of them face any problem, the other will have to take up the maintenance role to enhance the social climate of the group.
Some of which would include, being 1) an encourager. 2) harmoniser. 3) compromiser. 4) gatekeeper-expediter. 5) standard setter. 6) group observer. 7) follower.

Interpersonal communication in a relationship

When the lights shone upon me, my inner being woke up and suddenly i realised that you are no longer by my side. Gone were the days where you would flash me a smile and bashfully say you miss me... or putting your arms around my shoulder, saying proudly that i belong to you only.
Baby, search my heart..look into my eyes, feel the hurt in my heart, feel the longing in my eyes.. why did you promise me forever, if it wasn't meant to be? why did you just walk out of my life and leave all the memories to me? How could you make me bear all the pain of this unrequitted love? The longing is so overwhelming and the missing so strong...


A poem i wrote about the feelings and emotions of someone who just fell out of love and misses someone deeply. The questions of why must it happen, how did it turn out this way, what went wrong and the many mixed feelings of disppointments, hurts and loneliness are the after effects of a break up between a couple once in love.


Some common relational challenges most couples face:

1) disassociation.
2) Change and differences in character.
3) Poor communication skills.
4) Deception.
5) Unrealistic expectations.
6) Lack of trust.


According to Knapp Model of Relational Development, there are 10 stages in two phases to describe the progression and development of relationships.

Based on the poem above,its about stages 6-10 : coming apart.
It talks about firstly, differentiating, circumscribing,then stagnation steps in, followed by avoiding and eventually, terminating.
The stages are not linear and due to many reasons, it may regress to a previous stage or skip stages.
Therefore,it does not neccessarily follow a particular order.