A concise introduction to the evolution of communication media, The Evolution of Media is unique in that it treats both mass media and interpersonal media. The first part of the book describes the history and development of media technology. The second and third parts develop a taxonomy for media and compare their technological requirements, applications, and other significant elements. The last section presents a simple methodology to help predict the success of new media products and services. This book is a useful supplement for foundational courses in mass communication and communication history, as well as a primer for anyone interested in the big picture of communication media.

Top media studies scholars discuss the evolution of media

A History of Communications advances a theory of media that explains the origins and impact of different forms of communication - speech, writing, print, electronic devices and the Internet - on human history in the long term. New media are 'pulled' into widespread use by broad historical trends and these media, once in widespread use, 'push' social institutions and beliefs in predictable directions. This view allows us to see for the first time what is truly new about the Internet, what is not, and where it is taking us.

Media communication is a young discipline, if we compare it with others. It has been studied scientifically from the last century in social sciences. This topic, as it is a human process, is complex, and it is changing because of new technologies. It transforms our society too. It is recognised that we are in a communication society. The management of knowledge is settled in business area too. Communication skills are recognised as competences in education for preparing future citizens. Media communication feeds from different disciplines and it keeps their attention. This book is an attempt to provide theoretical and empirical framework to better understand media communication from different point of views and channels in various contexts. The international authors are specialised on the issues. They cover a wide range of updated issues. They span from deepening about behaviour of media or trends to national cases related to social net and to new phenomena - as it is mindfulness applied to creativity. So in this book, two sections are presented. The first section focuses on the behaviour of media, when it is applied in education field and reception research. The second section provides three case studies about the Internet: platforms and social nets developed and applied to different publics.

The emergence of 'new media' and social media is widely discussed in contemporary society. However, media and public communication are mostly analyzed within particular theoretical frameworks and within specific disciplinary fields. Such approaches have created polarized views on media and communication, and fail to create an understanding of the interdependencies between these fields. This book expertly synthesizes competing theories and disciplinary viewpoints, integrates scholarly and cutting edge research, and examines international data from fast-growing markets including China, to provide a comprehensive, holistic view of the twenty-first century (r)evolution in media and public communication. The book identifies how the changes are located in practices rather than technologies and that these practices are emergent in highly significant ways. Engaging and accessible, the book is essential reading for media scholars and communication professionals, and a valuable text for courses in media studies, journalism, advertising, public relations, and organisational and political communication.

Now in its fourth edition, this book is one of the leading texts on the evolution of electronic mass communication in the last century, giving students a clear understanding of how the media of yesterday shaped the media world of today. Now Media, Fourth Edition (formerly Electronic Media: Then, Now, Later) provides a comprehensive view of the beginnings of electronic media in broadcasting and the subsequent advancements into ‘now’ digital media. Each chapter is organized chronologically, starting with the electronic media of the past, then moving to the media of today, and finally, exploring the possibilities for the media of the future. Topics include the rise of social media, uses of personal communication devices, the film industry, and digital advertising, focusing along the way on innovations that laid the groundwork for ‘now’ television and radio and the Internet and social media. New to the fourth edition is a chapter on the amazing world of virtual reality technology, which has spawned a ‘now’ way of communicating with the world and becoming a part of video content, as well as a discussion of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on media consumption habits. This book remains a key text and trusted resource for students and scholars of digital mass communication and communication history alike. The new ‘now’ edition also features updated online instructor materials, including PowerPoint slides and test banks. Please visit www.routledge.com/cw/medoff to access these support materials.

Annotation Napoli examines the ongoing redefinition of the industry-audience relationship by technologies that have moved the audience marketplace beyond traditional metrics.