Five Reasons Why Translation Is Important in Mass Media & Communication

Mass communication refers to the dissemination of information to large audiences. Language is the primary medium of communication, with hundreds of different languages spoken the world over. How do you ensure that your message reaches the general population? The answer is translation. Converting a message from one language to another is a key component in mass communication. In this article, we discuss the importance of translation in communication and media.

1. Reaching Out to a Wider Audience

For every new language that content is translated into, it’s made accessible to a whole new audience. Research shows that 75% of the world population does not speak English at all. If you do not make an effort to present your message in different languages, you will fail to reach a significant portion of people.

Think of the entertainment industry. A film is cast in one language. Without translation, the audience is limited only to the people that understand that particular language. To gain viewers, filmmakers create captions and then translate them into multiple languages. The same applies to song lyrics. A song is sung in a particular language but the lyrics are translated so that everyone else can understand the message. This way, content creators can share their work with people worldwide.

2. Enhancing Communication

How do you make your message resonate deeply with the people? You do this by speaking to them in their native language. This is where translation comes into play. Providing accurate information in different languages helps you connect with people from all over the world.

Sometimes when people fail to find something on the internet in their language, they attempt to use machine translation on a result written in a foreign tongue. Automated translation involves using artificial intelligence to convert a message from one language to another. Does this work? Sometimes. Machine translation works for simple sentences like, “How are you?” When dealing with industry-specific information, however, the accuracy of the translation leaves a lot to be desired.

For accurate communication, consider human translation. When you have actual people handling the translation, they do not merely translate the words. They weigh, among other things, the context of the information, the creative use of language, and so on. The human touch ensures that the translated message bears the same meaning as the original so that all who come across it can be on the same page.

3. Stem Misinformation

In this age of the internet and particularly social media, information spreads fast. Take, for instance, the COVID-19 pandemic, which is still ravaging many parts of the world. A lot of fake news is going around on the specifics of the disease. The World Health Organization is battling this spread by releasing factual, science-backed information. How do they ensure that this crucial knowledge gets to every corner of the world? Naturally, they have it translated into every major language spoken. Once people have the facts, they can easily ignore hearsay. 

Stemming misinformation is crucial in many other sectors, whether public or private. Translation helps by enabling accurate information to be made available to the masses in the language they best understand.

4. Encouraging Collaboration

Every once in a while, we have an event that brings the world together. The World Cup, Olympics, Miss Universe, and international conferences are just a few examples of such events that draw participants from all corners of the world. The importance of translation cannot be overemphasized here. 

How can participating countries follow the proceedings or cheer on their favorite contestants if they have no idea what is happening? They can only do so if the event is broadcast in a language they understand.

If there’s no translation available, many people will feel left out. Speed is also of essence here. Live event organizers need to offer real-time translation because people want to know what is happening right then. Translators must be on standby to translate any audio or written content right away. Ultimately, everyone feels well-accommodated and more connected as one. 

5. Expanding Businesses

In business, mass communication involves reaching out to potential clients and informing them of your product, with the hope of converting them into paying customers. In order to expand your trade to different regions, it is best to appeal to your target market in their native language. Professional translators come in handy here. Consider a company that employs native speakers so you can be sure that the translation is carried out with precision.

Think, for instance, of conducting a survey, which is an integral part of penetrating a new market. Here, you can establish the needs and preferences of the region. You can create the questionnaire in one language and translate it into as many languages as necessary. Speaking to people in a language they can easily identify with will get you valuable responses instead of confusing ones. 

Conclusion

Mass media needs translation services now more than ever before. The world has become a global village. The world needs to engage, discuss, agree, and disagree. We cannot let our differences and language barriers drive us apart. 

As one of the best service providers in this regard, GoTranscript offers professional 100% human translation services in over 50 languages, all handled by native speakers. To get your message across loud and clear, translate your content today!