The history of mass media is comparatively recent. The oldest form is the press which was set up first by William Caxon at Westminster in 1476. The first wireless communication was made between the Isle of Wight and the English mainland in 1882, the phonograph was patented in 1877. The first cinema film was made in Paris in 1895.
In India, after the independence, new horizons were seen by the country in all the aspects of five year plans stressing the need to solve some of the national problems, such as, lack of cultural identity, absence of economic policy and so on, the development of mass media was boosted.
The need for communicating with the masses and influencing them was felt in order to have the impact of the independence. This led to tremendous progress in the fields of print and the broadcast media.
Freedom of speech and expression along with freedom of press was provided by the constitution as a fundamental right. Over and above, constitution also granted freedom of movement, right to profession and property, right to hold meetings and cultural gatherings.
All these led to the unabated progress of mass media in the country. The developments of each mass media are discussed separately in the following chapters.
With the extending impact of media of mass communication on individuals and groups, the Indian society overall is reacting swiftly. The pervasive effects of the various media on the various spheres of the Indian life- economic, social, cultural, intellectual, religious and even moral values are transforming rapidly.
Mass media are capable of creating various kinds of impact on mankind. They play a crucial role in the function and change of any society. A study of social change cannot be done without studying mass media. Therefore, in the present times when technology has brought