determinism and such. Aug 31

One influential element in the telegraph being seen as a heavenly voice was Western Union’s monopoly of the concept. There was no amateurism involved in the telegraph which made it seem distant and scary. When a concept is not understood people often assume it is fantastic. Carey describes the telegraph as the unsung hero of communication but really the telegraph is to communication is what the 8 track is to music. Its real importance really comes from the doors it opened for the next technologies. Because of the telegraph, the phone was able to be possible. It was not the telegraph that changed American society and news reporting, it was society that made the telegraph successful.

Radio was marketed to be a ghostly voice from beyond. Of course people thought it seemed omniscient when the radio programs were about “The Shadow” and the fatherly politicians and leaders. Covert talks about people feeling lost when listening to the radio, losing the personal experience buts he doesn’t look at the social parts of mass media. She ignores the parts that people gather and listen to together or watch together or talk about the next day. I think she misses some of the most influential parts of mass media.

Willis pays more attention to the social role media plays, especially in television which for anyone that has ever watched or seen a television are somewhat obvious.

I like Hillis’ argument best because he argues that media is an activity which I agree with. Media is not something we just take in it is also something that we affect. Audiences affect what stations play and what stations play effects what we do with our lives. It is not a one way street.