Evolution of Traditional to New Media – Study Notes

Learning Objectives

  • Explain how the evolution of media (from traditional to new) shaped societal values and norms.

  • Identify and categorize forms of media that appeared during the four historical ages (Pre-Industrial, Industrial, Electronic, Information).

  • Recognize the direct (individual) and indirect (social) effects of media on beliefs, behavior, and cultural expectations.

Key Terminology

  • Media – channels or tools used to store and deliver information or data (e.g., newspaper, radio, TV, Internet).

  • Traditional Media – pre-digital, analog, or mechanically produced media (e.g., cave paintings, printing press, radio).

  • New Media – digitally based, Internet-enabled communication platforms (e.g., social networking sites, blogs, AR/VR).

  • Norms – \text{socially accepted standards of behavior} within a group or society.

  • Values – shared ideas about what is good, desirable, or proper.

  • Social Learning Theory (Bandura, 1986) – people learn by observing models; media serve as widely accessible models.

  • Common Knowledge Effect (Arias, 2016) – information believed to be publicly available gains greater power to shape norms.

Overview: Four Historical Ages of Media

  • Media evolution tracks technological, economic, and social shifts.

  • Each age introduces new tools that alter speed, reach, and style of communication.

  • Main progression: \text{Pre-Industrial} \rightarrow \text{Industrial} \rightarrow \text{Electronic} \rightarrow \text{Information}.

Pre-Industrial Age (Before 1700s)

  • Communication Tools

    • Cave paintings (~35{,}000\ \text{BC})

    • Papyrus in Egypt (~2500\ \text{BC})

    • Clay tablets in Mesopotamia (~2400\ \text{BC})

    • Acta Diurna (daily gazette) in ancient Rome (130 BC)

    • Dibao (imperial bulletins) in China (2nd century)

    • Mayan codices (5th century)

    • Wood-block printing (220 AD)

  • Characteristics

    • Hand-crafted, localized, slow dissemination.

    • Oral tradition remained dominant; literacy limited to elites.

    • Media mainly preserved history, rituals, and governance records.

  • Impact on Norms

    • Reinforced communal stories and religious beliefs.

    • Elders and scribes held informational authority.

Industrial Age (1700s – 1930s)

  • Technological Hallmarks

    • Printing press for mass production (19th c.)

    • First regular newspaper: The London Gazette (1640)

    • Telegraph (1830s–1840s) – long-distance textual signals.

    • Typewriter (1800) – standardized, faster text production.

    • Telephone (1876) – real-time voice across distances.

    • Motion-picture camera/projector (1890) and sound films (1926).

    • Punch cards – early data storage/processing.

  • Social & Economic Shifts

    • Factory system; urbanization; rise of “mass audience.”

    • Literacy rates climbed; information became a commodity.

  • Influence on Values & Norms

    • Ideas (e.g., political reforms, labor rights) travelled quickly.

    • Standardized time, work discipline, and “news cycles.”

Electronic Age (1930s – 1980s)

  • Key Inventions

    • Transistor (1947) – miniaturized electronic switching.

    • Transistor radio – portable, battery-powered mass medium.

    • Television (public broadcast 1941 U.S.)

    • Large electronic computers (EDSAC 1949; UNIVAC I 1951)

    • Mainframes (IBM 704 1960) & early personal computers (HP 9100A 1968, Apple I 1976).

    • Overhead projectors (OHP) & early LCD projectors.

  • Communication Traits

    • Instantaneous audio-visual transmission.

    • “Broadcast model” – one-to-many, centralized control.

  • Cultural Effects

    • Formation of global events consciousness (e.g., moon landing broadcast 1969).

    • Shared reference points (TV shows, pop music charts).

Information Age / Digital Age (1990s – present)

  • Digital & Networked Tools

    • Web browsers: Mosaic 1993, Internet Explorer 1995.

    • Social networking: Friendster 2002, Facebook 2004, Twitter 2006, Instagram 2010.

    • Blogs (Blogger 1999, WordPress 2003) & Microblogs (Tumblr 2007).

    • Video sharing: YouTube 2005.

    • Video chat/VoIP: Skype 2003, Google Hangouts 2013.

    • Mobile & Wearable: smartphones, tablets (1993 onward), smartwatches, AR/VR.

    • Cloud computing & Big Data analytics.

  • Defining Features

    • \text{Many-to-many}, participatory communication.

    • Convergence of text, audio, video on single devices.

    • User-generated content, algorithmic curation, ubiquitous connectivity.

  • Transformations in Norms

    • Global visibility of social movements (e.g., women’s rights, LGBTQ+ equality).

    • Redefinition of privacy, friendship, and identity (online profiles, influencers).

    • Faster norm cycles; viral trends—what’s acceptable today may change tomorrow.

Comparative Snapshot

  • Speed: Pre-Industrial < Industrial < Electronic < Information.

  • Distribution Pattern: Local \rightarrow National \rightarrow Global \rightarrow Networked/Instant.

  • Content Control: Elite \rightarrow Publishers \rightarrow Broadcasters \rightarrow Users & Algorithms.

Media’s Influence on Values & Norms

  • Direct (Individual) Effects

    • Exposure changes personal beliefs & behaviors.

    • Example: health campaigns on TV reduce smoking rates.

  • Indirect (Social) Effects

    • Creates shared knowledge; people adjust to align with perceived majority.

    • Example: viral hashtag amplifies social justice norm → widespread policy debate.

  • Mechanisms

    • Modeling (Bandura): observe → internalize → replicate.

    • Agenda-Setting: media highlight issues → public perceives importance.

    • Common Knowledge: when everyone knows that everyone knows, conformity increases.

Examples & Hypothetical Scenarios

  • Cultural Shift: A viral documentary on sustainable fashion leads to student campaigns that push local shops to stock eco-friendly clothing.

  • Technological Metaphor: Transistor as “mini-switch”—tiny gatekeepers turning the flood of information on/off billions of times per second.

Ethical & Practical Considerations

  • Digital divide – unequal access may reinforce socioeconomic gaps.

  • Misinformation – speed of spread outpaces verification.

  • Privacy – data harvesting challenges traditional consent norms.

  • Responsibility – prosumers (producer-consumers) must practice information literacy to evaluate sources.

Study Tips & Connections

  • Link ages to signature inventions; build mnemonic (CPT –> Printing Press –> Transistor –> Twitter).

  • Compare broadcast vs. networked models when evaluating influence strength.

  • Relate Social Learning Theory to modern influencers—TikTok dances illustrate observational learning.

  • Apply norms analysis to local context: assess how Filipino close-family-tie value adapts to OFW video calls.

Quick‐Reference Timeline (Selected Milestones)

  • 35{,}000\ \text{BC} – Cave paintings

  • 130\ \text{BC} – Acta Diurna

  • 1640 – First regular newspaper

  • 1837 – Telegraph prototype

  • 1876 – Telephone

  • 1890 – Motion picture camera

  • 1947 – Transistor

  • 1969 – ARPANET message sent

  • 1991 – World Wide Web public domain

  • 2004 – Facebook launch

Practice / Self-Check Prompts

  • Build your personal Technology Timeline: list first tool you used to (a) store photos, (b) send instant messages, (c) consume video.

  • Debate: “Technology helps people gain more friends, but the quality of friendship suffers.” Provide two supporting and two opposing points.

  • Retrieve data: classify Telegram, Typewriter, OHP, and Papyrus into their proper historical ages.

Key Take-Away Statements

  • Media evolution is inseparable from human social evolution; each technological leap reshapes how we think, interact, and define ourselves.

  • Understanding past media helps critically assess present platforms and anticipate future ethical challenges.

  • Information literacy (media, technology, and data evaluation skills) is essential for responsible participation in the digital age.