The Endoding and Decoding Model of Communication

The Encoding/Decoding Model of Communication

Communication 501: Mid-term Essay

Marsha Ann Tate

October 9, 2000

Dr. Davis

Introduction

This essay examines the encoding/decoding model of communication first proposed by Stuart Hall in the early 1970's. The essay begins with a brief exploration of the theoretical origins of the model followed by an explanation of the model itself. Origins and Development

Although the encoding/decoding model of transmission dates back to the

1970's, its theoretical roots are much older. "Critical theory", one of the main theoretical foundations of the model, initially referred to the post 1933 emigration of scholars from the Marxist School of Applied Social Research in Frankfurt to the United States. The School, originally established to "... examine the apparent failure of revolutionary social change as predicted by Marx" and "... looked to the capacity of the 'superstructure' (especially ideas and ideology represented in the mass media)" to account for the failure of Marxism (McQuail, 2000, p. 95).

The "Frankfurt School" promoted of alternate view of dominant commercial mass culture namely the non-acceptance of liberal-capitalist order as well as the " ... rational- calculative, utilitarian model of social life as at all adequate or desirable" (McQuail, 2000, p. 49) and viewed mass communication "... as manipulative and ultimately oppressive" (McQuail, 2000, p. 49).

Post WWII & Cold War Era in US

Frankfurt School-based theories generated some support in academia during the years prior to WWII. However, with the advent of the Cold War and the accompanying "Red scare" in the United States, espousal of Marxist-based theories became "out of favor" and therefore received relatively little attention during this period. Instead,

American research largely followed an empirical, socio-behavioral course that examined issues of ....

A similar dominant paradigm existed in Europe until 1960s. However, this was paradigm was challenged by a wave of NeoMarxist thought driven by French and later British academics. This "second wave" offered a refinement and reevaluation of earlier ideas proposed by the Frankfurt School and others. The reemerging critical theory regarded mass communication as one component of broader "cultural studies" and attacked "... the commercial roots of cultural 'debasement'" (McQuail, 2000, p. 95). Early advocates directed their attention toward issues of working-class subordination and later encompassed domination of youth, gender, ethnicity, and alternative subcultures.

The theory challenged predominant methodologies of empirical social science audience research as well as "... the humanistic studies of content" (McQuail, 2000, p. 56) Proponents argued that both methods failed to factor in the 'power of the audience' in "giving meaning to messages" (McQuail, 2000, p. 56). Instead, critical theories emphasized qualitative research: "This has provided alternative routes to knowledge and forged a link back to the neglected pathways of sociological theory of symbolic interactionism and phenomenology" (McQuail, 2000, p. 50).

British cultural studies & The Birmingham School

In Britain, "cultural studies" combined "... Marxist theory with ideas and research methods derived from diverse sources including literary criticism, linguistics, anthropology, and history" (Baran & Davis, 321). The Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies (CCCS) at the University of Birmingham has been called the "... most influential recent British powerhouse of theorizing about culture" (Hartley, 1999, p. 116). The