Aspects of Media Manipulation in Complex Communication Situations

The article examines the forms of manipulation in complex communication situations, the essential component of which is multidirectionality, i.e. individual communicative acts addressing multiple audiences. Since complex communication situations are multidirected, they involve various participants who are direct interlocutors, moderators, communication observers, etc. The paper discusses the phenomena of the communicative action orientation towards multiple audiences in staged communication and the participation of the manipulated audience in Internet communication. Multidirectional communication is typical for advertising and talk shows. Although the speakers in talk shows address their interlocutors directly, their statements are perceived by the audience in the studio and the TV viewers. This situation can have a manipulative effect since the latter are not aware that they are the intended recipients. In commercials, characters explain the benefits of a product to other participants in the staged communication event. However, the communication is aimed at the TV audience, which is involved in a large-scale manipulation. From the point of view of manipulation theory, questions arise, such as the effects of monitoring communication (passive participation), the extent to which the recipient themself is part of the manipulation and the responsibility of the recipient and participant of communication in a communicative event.