Blog Post 2: Applying Innis


 Hi everyone,

I struggled to interpret Ennis directly but found Menahem Blondheim’s “The Significance of Communication According to Harold Adam Innis” and James Carey’s peace the most accessible of the readings to interpret his theory. For this post, I will focus on two of the five elements, medium theory and space bias, and apply my understanding of them to accessible examples. I hope that by applying contemporary ideas to these theories, I will help grow my understanding and aid other classmates who learn through examples as I do!

Medium theory contends that communication media is not simply characterized by transmitted messages between sets of technology and then deciphered by audiences. It also considers the medium and its cultural setting as a part of the messages it transmits. Space bias, according to Carrey, concerns itself with the influence of space on the communicative practices of a medium. A modern example that both theories could apply to would be the influence of American television on Canadian culture. Has anyone ever noticed that genuinely Canadian TV shows operate in such a small niche market known as Canon? I argue through the medium of television that Canadians have negative preconceptions of Canada having worse programming because of the sheer volume and access of US TV shows we have. This argument revolves around space bias, as our TV culture is Americanized because they are our closest neighbouring nation. The medium of television in Canada offers more American programming than Canadian; analyzing medium theory viable to understand how this monopoly of TV programs influences Canadian culture.

 My questions to anyone who reads this are:

Do you agree with my application of space bias and medium theory? Why/why not?

Can you think of any other modern examples that apply to any of the five elements of Innis’s work?

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