Communication is such an important tool that connects so many people and is used to share ideas or stories. Media is especially useful as a form of sharing news and has been around for centuries. A paradigm shift has occurred with the forms of media evolving over time as technology and societal needs shift. It is important to understand how these changes have progressed throughout time to gain a better understanding of how people received their news and its impact. Not only does this directly correlate to technological advancements throughout the years but also societal changes, and can be used to predict how further shifts to media forms will continue to evolve.
The starting point for the shift is in the 18th century with the production of newspapers and penny papers to share news and relevant topics to the masses. Then the second shift takes place with the use of radio as a form of sharing news. The third shift is television, with news stations. The final shift takes the evolution to the present day with the use of the internet and social media to share news.
Along with the form of media shifting, so did the kinds of news shared and types of stories. For example, newspapers were created for those with a greater education background, while penny papers were for a wider audience. Newspapers would share the political and national news, while penny papers focused on the more entertaining, gossip-like stories. Even today with news being shared over the internet and even on social media, it is driven by data analytics. Based on previous viewing history, a person will have recommended news articles show up first since they are more likely to be interacted with.
I chose this topic because it surrounds us. The news is always on television or notifications popping up on our phones and we need to understand how it came to be. Additionally, we are seeing the effects of the shift currently. For example, print media such as newspapers is a declining industry as the internet takes over.
Paradigm shifts:
- Newspapers and penny papers
- Radio
- Television
- Internet and social media
Main question: How have media forms evolved over time in correlation with technology advancements and societal needs?
Subsidiary questions:
- How have the uses for media and types of news shifted over time?
- How has each media form been available or accessible and to who?
- How has media impacted society?
Considering the ever-increasing influence of the media on society, I think that your topic is something that is extremely important to address. Media has not only impacted how information is spread, but also what kind of information is spread and to who, which has a huge impact on societal norms and how we are governed, to name a few. I look forward to hearing your speech!
I think an analysis of what demographic each era of a medium was made for would be a fantastic component to this presentation. You can really hone in on specific examples and pick them apart to look for tropes that are unique to that time period or a common trend in all of these eras. This would do a great job of keeping the audience’s attention as you transition from era to era, acting like a road sign.
I think this is an excellent topic to explore. Media has evolved so much since the 18th century, and even in the past 100 years. As technology progressed over the years, media was documented through new mediums, such as newspapers, radios, televisions, and now, the Internet (as shown in the picture you selected). Social media is relatively new. It only became the social and cultural institution it is today around 2005, with the creation of Facebook. Overall, I think this was an excellent topic to choose, and you can really go in depth discussing the creation of certain technologies and how the media followed soon after.