The basic attitude of the traditional school of communication to the current state of communication

The basic attitudes of the traditional school of communication on the current situation of communication are as follows:

1. Critical: The traditional school of communication holds a critical attitude towards the current situation of communication. They believe that there are many problems in the current communication system, such as information asymmetry, media bias, and information oversaturation. These problems have led to social injustice, political polarization, cultural conservatism and other phenomena. Therefore, the traditional school advocates an in-depth critique and reflection on the current state of communication.

2. Normativity: The traditional school believes that communication as a discipline should have a certain normative and academic nature. This means that communication research should be based on a rigorous theoretical framework and scientific methodology to study communication phenomena in an objective and neutral manner. The traditional school of thought emphasizes the academic and normative nature of communication studies to distinguish it from other fields of study.

3. Empirical: The traditional school focuses on the empirical research method, i.e., verifying or overthrowing assumptions through observation and experimentation in the real world. They believe that empirical research methods can help communication scholars understand communication phenomena more objectively, discover communication laws, and develop effective communication strategies. Therefore, the traditional school advocates the use of empirical research methods in communication research.

4. Pluralism: The traditional school of thought believes that communication phenomena are diversified and complex, and that communication phenomena in different cultures and social backgrounds have different characteristics. Therefore, the traditional school of thought advocates the adoption of pluralistic perspectives and methods in communication research in order to understand the communication phenomenon in a comprehensive manner. They believe that only through pluralistic research methods can the nature and laws of communication phenomena be better revealed.

Representatives of the traditional school of communication:

1. Denis McQuail: McQuail is a professor at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, and his research on communication focuses on media effects, audience behavior and media content. According to McQuail, communication effects are influenced by a variety of factors, including the personal characteristics of the audience, the quality of media content and the choice of communication channels.

His theory of double contingency, in which communication effects depend not only on the intention of the communicator and the content of the communication, but also on the personal characteristics and background of the audience, has had a profound impact on later communication studies.

2. Werner J. Severin: Severin is a professor at the University of Hamburg, Germany, and his research on communication is mainly focused on communication theory and application. According to Severin, communication is a complex process that is influenced by a variety of factors, including social, cultural, political, and economic. His theory of communication flow, that is, communication is a process of interaction by multiple factors, has had a significant impact on later studies of communication.

3. Joseph Nye: Nye is an American political scientist and communication scientist whose research on communication focuses on international and global communication. According to Nye, communication is an important factor in international relations, affecting not only communication and cooperation between countries, but also the development of the global political economy.

His theory of soft power, in which a country's international status depends not only on its military and economic strength, but also on the attractiveness of its culture, values, and foreign policy, has had a significant impact on subsequent studies of international relations.