The areas of ‘dialogue via media’

Abstract

The present paper is concerned with the dialogicity of media, in particular its nature and forms. Close consideration of the issue points out a phenomenon labelled ‘dialogue via media’. The phenomenon stems from the cooperation between the  sender and the addressee. It is stressed that the most favourable conditions for the development of this type of dialogue are created by the media which constitute a site  of the dialogue rather than merely its means or tool. The domain of media is viewed in terms of their usefulness in the joint effort of     creating dialogue. Two types of media are taken into account: (1) ‘old’ (traditional)     media such as the press, film, radio, television, poster, leaflet, and brochure, and (2) ‘new’ media which emerged after television was invented. The latter result from the     revolution in information technology and embrace the Internet, multimedia (with     their multibroadcasting and interactivity) and a mobile telephone, which enables     photographing, filming and sending thus obtained material. The reflection on the nature of media, including the ‘new’ ones, leads to the conclusion that they provide an opportunity to continuously enter into ‘dialogue via media’. If suitably prepared, media users can make use of this opportunity profitably, which makes teachers face an important and urgent task.