A message in its most general meaning is an object of communication. It is a vessel which provides information. Yet, it can also be this information. Therefore, its meaning is dependent upon the context in which it is used; the term may apply to both the information and its form. A communiqué (pronounced /kəˈmjuːnɨkeɪ/) is a brief report or statement released by a public agency.

More precisely, in communications science, a message is information which is sent from a source to a receiver. Some common definitions include: