Effects of Mass Media Essay

What were the major developments in the evolution of mass media during the 20th century? The major developments in the mass media during the 20th century include electronic and digital communication. The first electronic device use for communication was the telegraph, which feature dot-dash signals. Thanks to the telegraph, people did not need to use transportation to deliver a simple message. With the telegraph a message was received in a matter of minutes. The telegraph was the foundation to many other electronic devices like the radio, fax machine, and the cell phone. With the digital era, communication has transformed our way of life. Cable TV and the internet have evolved so quickly that some traditional media have (like the newspaper) have lost their control over information. Other traditional media are also losing ground thanks to the development of emerging media. Media sites like Facebook, YouTube, and Tweeter are attracting more audience than traditional media. Facebook alone has over 1 billion users worldwide and its still growing. With new technology been develop every day, people are more connected than ever before, because of this, business like the post office are losing money every day because people no longer need to write letters, or mail a check to pay for their bills. News can be broadcast almost instantaneously by anyone with a mobile device. Devises like ipads, smart phones, and laptops allowed people to view anything from magazines, news articles, television shows and movies. Read more:Â  Essay on Mass Media Advantages and Disadvantages Most TVs are now been develop with internet and wi-fi connection, so people have a reason to purchase it. The development of mass media will continue to grow and new ways of information will eventually replace the old ones. How did each development influence American culture? The development of mass media has influence American culture in many ways. Before the development of new age technology, American culture way of communication was oral and written. People rely on books, manuscripts, and word of mouth to get information delivered. Even politicians depended on oral and written communication to get the vote of the people. With the development of the telegraph and eventually the radio, in America, people started moving from a farming culture, into a urban life style, where new industries and economic opportunities beckoned. With the development of digital communication, people started taking control over information. Publishers and TV station began losing ground over the control of information as well. With each development, people began to depend on themselves to get the information, rather than relying on teachers, or storytellers. The internet has allowed our culture to do interact in different ways. You can buy anything online, without leaving the house, you can work from home, take college courses and earn your degree, make a video conference, and many other things that could not be done in the past. There are many advantages to the development of mass media in our culture, but it has also disadvantages. I believe that the internet has made people lazier and less responsible. There are people that instead of going to the market to get food, they prefer to order groceries online to get it delivered home. When it comes to education, some students just search for the easy answers available online, instead of taking the time to do the research.