mass media

During the last century there were several major developments in the evolution of mass media. These developments are the evolution of the print, electronic, and digital eras which now encompass modern day media. These three eras have significantly affected American culture and economics, while ushering in a new standard of mass communications. While paper printing can be traced back to China as early as 100 C.E, modern printing did not emerge until the mid-fifteenth century. At that time, the printing press was introduced. The printing press was a conglomerate of machine duplication, rapid duplication, and faster production. These three elements were necessary for mass-market innovation. Information and ideas could now be spread faster and farther than ever before. With the evolution of the printing press, production of mass quantities at lower costs per unit became essential in mass production of other goods. This led to the Industrial Revolution, modern capitalism, and the consumer culture of the twentieth century. “With the revolution in industry came the rise of the middle class and an elite business class of owners and managers who acquired the kind of influence formerly held only by the nobility or the clergy. Print media became key tools that commercial and political leaders used to distribute information and maintain social order”. First, there was the radio. People listened to radio shows, maybe a little music. Human beings have eyes, ears, noses for smelling and skin for touch Television came along, and now there is something new because you can watch and hear television. People had one more sense directed toward a machine that transmitted media through both the ears and the eyes. More and more people were watching and hearing this new medium called television. Therefore, people spent less time communicating with each other. Even if it was a fraction, the person's attention was directed more toward the television than the