The Need for Communication
Communication is the process by which two or more people exchange ideas, facts, feelings, or impressions in ways that each gains a common understanding of the meaning, intent, and use of messages.
The term “communication” stems from the Latin word “communism” – meaning common. Thus, communication is a conscious attempt to share information, ideas, attitudes, and the like with others.
In short, it is the act of getting a sender of the message and a receiver of the message tuned together for a particular message, or a series of messages. For two or more people to engage in a common, co-operative effort, they must be able to communicate with each other. Thus, good communication consists of creating understanding of the message.
According to Mc Quail, “Communication is a process which increases commonality and also requires elements of commonality for it to occur at all. Various factors contribute to bringing about the commonality the shared symbolic environment and a social relationship among those who participate in communication are the pre-requisites for communication.”
According to Rogers and Shoemaker (1971), communication is the process by which messages are transferred from a source to a receiver. Ban and Hawkins (1988) defined communication as the process of sending and receiving messages through channels which establish common meaning between a source and a receiver (In Roy, 1:39).
Dhama and Bhatnagar (1987) define communication as a 2 Textbook of Mass Communication and Media process of social interaction, i.e. in a communication situation two or more individuals interact.
In today’s world, there is so much to know so quickly that the role of communicator has become very important. The world is experiencing communication revolution and communication explosion.
Communication is essential to all human associations. One’s ability to influence others is closely linked with his ability to communicate his ideas, for two people to communicate effectively, common goals and a body of common knowledge and ideas are must.
Good communication does not mean only giving orders but creating understanding. It aims at imparting knowledge as well as helping people gain a clear view of the meaning of knowledge.
Thus, communication is a social process. It is vital for human survival. It has become a field of study and scientific investigation in modern times.
The study of communication has revealed that the process is not only a vital but complicated also. Good communication has the potential to contribute to overcoming the problems like ignorance, poverty, malnutrition, illiteracy and to the attainment of the goals of economic and social well being.
In modern times communication has become very necessary for the existence of human beings. It is a basic need for human beings as the need for food and shelter. It has brought about a human civilization. There are numerous ways through which we communicate such as spoken words, written words, gestures, pictures, paintings, dance and so on.
