Honors Theses
Date of Award
Spring 4-20-2022
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Journalism
First Advisor
Brad Conaway
Second Advisor
Charles Mitchell
Third Advisor
Kathleen Wickham
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
This thesis aims to demonstrate the power of the audio medium to connect speaker and listener, as a result of the uniquely intimate nature of the medium. By understanding how speakers and listeners connect through audio, the research reveals that the audio medium is a sustainable media outlet, one that is durable despite changes in culture in the media market, that has transformed over time, all while keeping itself within the principal constraints of its original form, that being sound as conveyed to a listener. Three interviews were conducted with individuals situated in different areas of the audio media landscape; these are interviews are placed in conversation with findings from literature and data about advertising, marketing, and different forms of audio media, including radio shows and podcasts.
What emerged from the interviews and research was a deeper understanding of why the audio medium was, is, and will continue to be a sustainable source of communication in the media realm; the intimate nature of the medium allows for speaker and listener to connect on a personal level and to develop relationships that allow for a more thoughtful connection than those created through other mediums (i.e. digital media), leading to the medium’s ability to translate messages – from stories and ideas to marketing and advertisements to an audience.
As a result of this research, it has become clear that while the ever-changing nature of the media landscape will bring about new forms and mediums, audio will only evolve as a result of its intimate nature.
Recommended Citation
Hoover, Eleanor Kingwell Sharples, "Come Close and Listen: Exploring the Intimacy of Audio Media" (2022). Honors Theses. 2559.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/2559
Accessibility Status
Searchable text
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Included in
Broadcast and Video Studies Commons, Communication Technology and New Media Commons, Journalism Studies Commons, Mass Communication Commons, Organizational Communication Commons, Public Relations and Advertising Commons, Social Influence and Political Communication Commons, Social Media Commons