Final: Electronically mediated relationships

When radio was established, people thought that it was going to unify the country. However, the basic programming was designed to attract housewives. The programs were there for women at home to listen to while doing their daily house chores. It became a medium for advertising as well, because it updated these housewives on new cleaning and house products that they could use to make their lives easier.

Mary Dyck was one of those housewives that listened to the radio daily. She was secluded for most of the day and therefore formed a strong parasocial relationship with the broadcasters, who became her "friends". These radio personalities became a very large part of her life to the extent that she felt like she really knew them. Parasocial relationships enhanced radio's commercialization because the radio personalities kept the housewives listening to the product ads.

The idea of having parasocial relationships has now been transferred from radio to the online medium. Sites like Facebook and Twitter have brought it to a whole other level. With Facebook, people can comment on each other's walls and see pictures of friends. This enhances the parasocial relationship because people can use the information they find on a person's account to form a bond with that person. The visuals only help in forming this relationship. Also, one can start to feel like they are beginning to have a parasocial relationship with their internet self, like I did during our media deprivation assignment.

Biz Stone of Twitter stated in New York Magazine that tweeting can bring about a new form of human communication. I agree with journalist Will Leitch that this may be a bit ambitious; however, I do think that it can enhance parasocial relationships. Users can go on to anyone's page (including celebrities and politicians) and get a sense of who they are without ever meeting or talking to them. Fans of John Mayer or Miley Cyrus can follow their tweets and have a cyber relationship with their favorite artists. However, celebrities do not answer back. This relationship is very one-sided.

Average people no longer have to look in the newspapers to find out what a candidate believes in or proposes to do if elected. Anyone can join Barack Obama's Facebook or Twitter page. Politicians used Facebook and Twitter to establish a relationship with potential voters. Obama especially used this technique and it helped spread his popularity amongst young people. Advertisers can even get celebrities to endorse products on their Twitter pages. Any celebrity could say, "Hey, I used Garnier Fructise shampoo this morning and my hair smells great!" Fans of that celebrity would then think that they should use the shampoo too because their favorite "friend" uses it. It also helps celebrities gain a larger audience and fan base because now anyone and everyone can be a "part" of their lives.

People also have parasocial relationships with TV characters. For instance, when the class examined The Simpsons, we saw that even though the characters are cartoons people can identify with them. They are not the perfect family. Bart is constantly in trouble, Lisa is a know-it-all, Homer is a bad father, and Marge is the housewife. With parasocial relationships it's all about identifying with someone else through electronic media.