Over a quarter century ago, James W. Carey and John J. Quirk questioned the prevailing belief that technology would revolutionize communication. Now that we have begun traveling on the information superhighway, we are bombarded more often than ever by what Carey and Quirk called “the rhetoric of the electronic sublime.” Yet an exploration of some fifty award-winning health messages on the World Wide Web suggests that our well-worn maps—that is, the traditional concepts of source, content, purpose, audience, and presentation—can give us a sense of direction as we begin our fall down the rabbit-hole.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
CarrollL., Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (Special Edition), Random House, New York, 1946.
2.
JohnsonB., Counting Eyeballs on the Net, Advertising Age, 67:6, p. 29, February 5, 1996.
3.
AtkinC. and ArkinE. B., Issues and Initiatives in Communicating Health Information to the Public, in Mass Communication and Public Health: Complexities and Conflicts, AtkinC. and WallackL. (eds.), Sage Publications, Newbury Park, California, pp. 13–40, 1990.
4.
KlaidmanS., Roles and Responsibilities of Journalists, in Mass Communication and Public Health: Complexities and Conflicts, AtkinC. and WallackL. (eds.), Sage Publications, Newbury Park, California, pp. 60–70, 1990.
5.
WallackL., Mass Media and Health Promotion: Promise, Problem, and Challenge, in Mass Communication and Public Health: Complexities and Conflicts, AtkinC. and WallackL. (eds.), Sage Publications, Newbury Park, California, pp. 41–51, 1990.
6.
MontgomeryK. C., Promoting Health Through Entertainment Television, in Mass Communication and Public Health: Complexities and Conflicts, AtkinC. and WallackL. (eds.), Sage Publications, Newbury Park, California, pp. 114–128, 1990.
7.
WallackL.DorfmanL.JerniganD., and ThembaM., Media Advocacy and Public Health: Power for Prevention, Sage Publications, Newbury Park, California, 1993.
8.
McGrathJ., The Gatekeeping Process: The Right Combinations to Unlock the Gates, in Designing Health Messages: Approaches from Communication Theory and Public Health Practice, MaibachE. and ParrottR. L. (eds.), Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, California, pp. 199–216, 1995.
9.
CareyJ. W. and QuirkJ. J., The Mythos of the Electronic Revolution, The American Scholar, 39:2, pp. 219–241 (Spring 1970) and 39:3, pp. 395–424 (Summer 1970).
10.
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Facts for Families, World Wide Web, www.psych.med.umich.edu, 1994 (last updated, 1996).
11.
FlayB. R. and BurtonD., Effective Mass Communication Strategies for Health Campaigns, in Mass Communication and Public Health: Complexities and Conflicts, AtkinC. and WallackL. (eds.), Sage Publications, Newbury Park, California, pp. 129–146, 1990.
12.
SignorielliN., Television and Health: Images and Impact, in Mass Communication and Public Health: Complexities and Conflicts, AtkinC. and WallackL. (eds.), Sage Publications, Newbury Park, California, pp. 96–113, 1990.
13.
CranfordJ. R., Americans in Need of Help: A Look at the Figures, Congressional Quarterly, 51:38 (supplement), pp. 19–20, September 25, 1993.
14.
ParrottR. L., Motivation to Attend to Health Messages: Presentation of Content and Linguistic Considerations, in Designing Health Messages: Approaches from Communication Theory and Public Health Practice, MaibachE. and ParrottR. L. (eds.), Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, California, pp. 7–23, 1995.
15.
SlaterM. D., Choosing Audience Segmentation Strategies and Methods for Health Communication, in Designing Health Messages: Approaches from Communication Theory and Public Health Practice, MaibachE. and ParrottR. L. (eds.), Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, California, pp. 186–198, 1995.
16.
HoltgraveD. R.TinsleyB. J., and KayL. S., Encouraging Risk Reduction: A Decision-Making Approach to Message Design, in Designing Health Messages: Approaches from Communication Theory and Public Health Practice, MaibachE. and ParrottR. L. (eds.), Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, California, pp. 24–40, 1995.
17.
MaibachE. W. and CottonD., Moving People to Behavior Change: A Staged Social Cognitive Approach to Message Design, in Designing Health Messages: Approaches from Communication Theory and Public Health Practice, MaibachE. and ParrottR. L. (eds.), Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, California, pp. 41–64, 1995.
