Week 7: Post 2

I definitely agree with Marshall McLuhan in that “the channel through which a message is transmitted is as important as the message itself.” It makes complete sense to me. He uses the example of print media and that the message is displayed through linear logic which is a way of transmitting information “word after word, idea after idea.” After that he tells us that television uses a mosaic logic which is a bombardment of changing bits of information. The first thing I think of when I read this part of the chapter was that there are certain forms of media for almost everything that needs to be advertised. It would be more appropriate to advertise a concert on the radio or in print then on the television and it is now more appropriate to show news footage on the television that it is in print.

His idea that television is the cool medium is all about the people who are presenting the information to us. If you are straight to the point and super honest you’re considered “hotter” while if the viewer has to actually pay attention and try to figure you out, you’re considered “cooler.” It makes sense that television is a cool medium because you do have to “fill in detail” when you watch whoever is presenting information instead of just listening like we would on the radio.