In the traditional linear model of analog mass communication, stories are

Concept

Mass-communication media can be distinguished by how their narratives are stored and consumed. In a traditional analog, one-to-many model, a narrative is fixed at production and the audience cannot alter its path through direct input.

Application

An analog mass-communication story is produced as a fixed sequence and then distributed to a large audience. Its sequence does not change in response to an individual audience member, so the story is static.

Contrast

• Static describes content whose produced sequence remains fixed during reception.

• Dynamic describes content that changes with time, data, or system state.

• Interactive describes content whose experience changes through reciprocal user input.

• Exploratory describes content that supports open-ended navigation or discovery.

Cross-check

Cross-check: compare the communication flow. Traditional analog mass communication is one-to-many and does not provide an audience-controlled return path that can modify the story.

Result

Therefore, stories in analog mass communication are static.