Media Technologies-Post for Class

The longest running media technology is print media, mainly newspapers. No matter what advances in technology have been made newspapers, magazines, brochures, books, and flyers have been around for thousands of years and are still used today. The intended audience for newspapers is anyone who wishes to stay informed about local, national, or global issues, depending on the paper. They also report on entertainment, weather, employment, real estate, and the arts.

Print media is the only way that any culture has been able to keep accurate accounts of history.  There are people who dedicate studies solely to book history! “For many scholars, it was the work of David D. Hall that catalyzed the study of histoire du livre in America.” (Cohen, M., 2008)  Books have been the key to knowledge for centuries. Monks devoted lifetimes to transcribing the Bible.

In his review on Konstantin Dierks book, In My Power: Letter Writing and Communications in Early America, Adrian Weimer states, “In this important book at the intersection of ideologies of modernity, material culture, and middle class practice, Konstantin Dierks argues that when men, women, and eventually children achieved prowess with the writing of a letter, they gained access to social networks which could help them achieve a more secure, comfortable life.” (Weimer, A. 2010) So, the written word has aided in social advancement, winning wars (via secret spy dispatches), and the growth of religion.

The second longest running form of media technology is television. Television is a medium for entertainment, news, education, and sales.  Local stations broadcast local, regional, national, and global news, sports, and weather. Those stations also provide entertainment with shows of all kinds, which have commercial breaks allowing brands to advertise their products.

Schools use television to show educational movies, news shows such as “Chanel One”, and school news programs. Studies have shown that television has been a positive influence with “achievement for disadvantaged children or those with limited proficiency in English. George Comstock and Haejung Paik interpret these findings as meaning that television viewing and academic achievement are negatively associated when TV displaces cognitively enriching experiences, but positively associated when it provides such experiences.” (Schmidt, M. E. & Vandewater, E. A., 2008) Television has been a useful media in the form of language development. 

Television is a source of advertising. Everything from cars to vitamins is advertised on television. Agencies have departments who’s whole focus is on this  mode of advertisement. “

The next form of media technology that is used worldwide is the internet. The internet provides its own forms of media technology catering to those who want to stay connected through social and professional networks, the news media, gamers, people who want to find and listen to music, and provides an avenue to watch television shows and movies. The internet also provides communication avenues such as blogs and email. Blogs are a sort of online journaling system that allows a person to share their lives with others.  Email provides an avenue of written (or at least typed) communication and an avenue to send private messages for personal and business communications. Social networks such as Facebook, provide a way to connect with family, friends, fellow students, and co-workers. Professional networking sites, such as LinkedIn provide an avenue for professionals to network with and learn about each other’s businesses.

References

Cohen, M.(2008). The History of the Book in New England: The State of the Discipline. Book History 11(1), 301-323. The Johns Hopkins University Press. Retrieved February 23, 2012, from Project MUSE database.

Weimer, A. C.(2010). In My Power: Letter Writing and Communications in Early America (review). Textual Cultures: Texts, Contexts, Interpretation 5(2), 94-96. Indiana University Press. Retrieved February 23, 2012, from Project MUSE database.

Schmidt, M. E. & Vandewater, E. A.(2008). Media and Attention, Cognition, and School Achievement. The Future of Children 18(1), 63-85. Princeton University. Retrieved February 23, 2012, from Project MUSE database.