Media history

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Description

This program is an excellent survey of the history of mass media. Academic and industry experts discuss the invention and impact of the printing press, telegraph, and telephone, all of which have allowed information to be easily transmitted over great distances. Mass media as it is currently evolving is also examined in depth. During the 1920s and 30s, radio dominated entertainment and the news and changed America's social habits. The advent of broadcast television in the 1950s and the rise of the Big Three networks further shaped America's culture. In the 80s and into the 90s, broadcast TV audience-share has declined due to cable and satellite television, VCRs, and Nintendo, and broadcasting has yielded to narrowcasting. Today, globalization and technological convergence are redefining the boundaries of communications. Where is all this leading the media industry? Only tomorrow will tell for sure.