Or, communication specialists may attempt to channel useful information to appropriate audiences, determine which media are the most apt channels to convey information, or assess the likely social consequences of information upon particular audiences. Ultimately, communication specialists facilitate the transformation of information into meaningful knowledge for human beings. Communicating with others is no longer a matter of merely conveying information to others. The growth of the information economy has been matched by a similar growth in cultural diversity in the United States. Women and minorities such as African-Americans and Latinos, as well as a host of other minorities, are increasingly entering professions in the information society.
Communicating is complicated.
The same piece of information can mean extremely different things to different groups of people. Regardless of one's chosen occupation, the ability to manipulate information and to communicate effectively has rapidly become an essential component of every sector of the U.S. economy. Virtually every individual requires training and skill as an information processor and communicator in order to exist effectively within the information society. Communication specialists facilitate the transformation of information into meaningful knowledge for human beings. The changing composition of the labor force and consumers in the information society requires that all individuals in all occupations understand and acquire the skills necessary to respond effectively in culturally diverse employment and market environments.