There is a wide gap between having something to say and finding the appropriate media through which one could say it. Locating the media through which ideas, thoughts, feelings,causes, etc could be transmitted is also as important as effective message packaging. The encoder, the person passing accross a message, therefore needs to be mindful of the best way to package the message and the best of available media that will be accesible to the encoder’s audience (the decoders). Finally, the process of disseminating the information or idea is as well as important as getting appropriate feedback; for without feedback, a communication process cannot be said to be effective or complete.
The communication process desribed above seems to be so simple and very easy to work with; yet if one understands the fact that the public space, on which every idea competes, is stifled, polluted and unfriendly to some convictions or beliefs, then one will appreciate the significance of all the stages involved in this process.
The humanist worldview and related convictions, for instance, is not widely accepted in the public space. Many of the ‘tenets’ of the humanist lifestance, which are seen by many as too liberal and antiGod, are rescented by even the custodians of the media (the publishers and the journalists many of whom are biased for organised religions). Although the coming of the the new media (the blogs,e-zines, etc) and involvement of the humanists, themselves, in media practices, of diverse forms, have changed this, yet there is no doubt that as humanists, and humanists groups, we have to be ever prepared to review and rework our communication stages for the benefit of the messages being passed and for the image of our lifestance.
The best way to do this is to first of all ensure that we KNOW what the lifestance is all about, then UNDERSTAND OUR AUDIENCE. This will inform the best way to package the message and the approapriate media to use in disseminating the message and how we could get the needed feedback.
In this edition of youthspeak, an expert, Matt Cherry, shall let us into how best we could package our message and gain access into the media for the benefit of our events. We also featured a review of Dr. Corliss Lamount’s book, The Philosophy of Humanism, to remind our readers that there is the fundamental need to grasp the nitty-gritty of the humanist lifestance before attempting to get into the public space with our message. It is our belief that these, among our other regular segments, will keep you company as many of you prepare for the summer break. Don’t forget that we also appreciate your feedbacks, please do keep them coming!!
Yemi Ademowo-Johnson, Editor