Communication Model

In this scene from Law and Order the sender is the police department and the receiver is John Flynn. The message the police are trying to send to Flynn is that he is under arrest for a probation violation, a message that Flynn understands very well, thus leading to his peril. The context the scene is in is that Flynn is a former detective that committed a crime and lost his job and was placed on a lifetime probation sentence, which did not cause the end to his rebellion which lead to his arrest, only this time he was going to jail for a long time. The element that is significant in this communication model is that being a police department, the two senders clearly say exactly what Flynn was in for so the watcher knows what the consequences he faces are. A straightforward message is vital to communication in television because not all viewers may understand what is going on unless it is laid out right in front of them. An effective and clear delivery without becoming too simple is crucial to build a popular and entertaining television show or movie. This scene is a perfect example of the effectiveness of such delivery.