A Study On H.A.Innis's Communication Theorys

Following the developing of modern communication technology and the increasing of the types of mediums, research upon the medium technology has more and more been valued on. Changes of times require us to newly again pay attention to the affection of medium technology on social politics, economy, culture and human communications.Harold innis, a specialist from Canada, whose research has begin a new period in the field of communication. His central focus is the social history of communication medium. He believed that the relative stability of cultures depends on the balance and proportion of their medium. A key to social change is found in the development of communication media. He claims that each medium embodies a bias in terms of the organization and control of information. any empire or society is generally concerned with duration over time and extension in space. His theory sets the communication technology under a great background of human civilization development to carry out the research. Through emphasizing the effection of medium in itself, it has established the tradition of research that focus on the medium and expanded a frontier of communication research.This essay takes H.A. Innis' thoughts upon communication as researching object. It mainly deals with Innis' communication theories, sources of his thoughts and his affection. On this basis, it has made an objective analysis to Innis' research on communication, and refuted some people's wrong viewpoints of taking Innis as a technology determinist. Further more, through comparing Innis' theory with Chicago school of communication and macluhan, this essay tries to reveal the distinctive value of Innis' thoughts of communication. Therefore, this essay reminds people to pay attention to the history position and realistic significance of Innis' thoughts of communication. It also appeals people to pay attention to the broad viewpoint of Medium Analysis School of communication research, and appeals to deeply while comprehensively grasp the characteristics and social affection of communication medium.