Digital Media and Information in Society/Discussions/6-Telegraph, Phonograph, Photograph, Telephone
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Innovation in Information Technology in the 19th Century: The Telegraph, The Phonograph, The Photograph, and The Telephone[1][edit | edit source]
Introduction: The Evolutionary Spectrum[edit | edit source]
- Recap of history:
- Orality and its communal nature. Orality
- Early literacy's rise with the alphabet. History of the Alphabet
- The transformation brought by printing. History of Printing
19th Century Technologies: A Brief Overview[edit | edit source]
- Telegraphy:
- Samuel Morse's invention. Samuel Morse
- The first transcontinental line. First Transcontinental Telegraph
- Social and economic implications. Telegraphy Impact
- Photography:
- The daguerreotype process. Daguerreotype
- Expansion into journalism. Photojournalism
- Photography's democratization. History of Photography
- Telephony:
- Alexander Graham Bell's innovation. Alexander Graham Bell
- Spread of telephone networks. History of the Telephone
- Social transformations. Social Aspects of the Telephone
- Phonography:
- Edison’s phonograph. Phonograph
- Music distribution and consumption changes:
- Rise of recording studios. Recording Studio
- Changes in music sales. Music Industry History
- Cultural shifts in music appreciation. Music Appreciation
- Preservation of oral history. Oral History
Late 19th Century Cultural Shifts[edit | edit source]
- Rise of Urbanization Amplified by Communications:
- Impact of the Telegraph:
- Revolutionized long-distance communication, fostering faster urban growth and inter-city connections. Telegraphy
- Financial districts and stock exchanges thrived due to instant communication, elevating cities as economic hubs.
- The telegraph network laid the groundwork for future communication infrastructures
- Impact of the Telegraph:
- Social Restructuring
- Role of the Telephone:
- Transformed personal communication, allowing urban dwellers to maintain broader social networks. Telephone History
- The rise of telephone exchanges and operators added new urban job roles and influenced city dynamics.
- Phonograph's Cultural Influence:
- Changed entertainment landscapes by enabling recorded music and performances. Phonograph
- Birth of the music industry and the shift from live to recorded entertainment.
- Cultural Hubs and the Lenses of Technology
- Impact of Photography:
- Allowed for the capture and sharing of urban life, influencing societal perceptions and memory. Photography's History
- Magazines and newspapers incorporated photographs, enhancing storytelling and documentation.
- Artists and social reformers used photography to highlight urban realities, from high society events to social issues.
- Impact of Photography:
- Role of the Telephone:
Economic Transitions[edit | edit source]
- Emergence of Consumer Culture:
- Popularity of novel products. Consumer Culture
- Shifts in retail and buying habits. Retail
- Advent of department stores. Department Store
- Changing dynamics of the marketplace. Marketplace
- Growth of mail-order businesses. Mail Order
- Advertising's growth and strategies. History of Advertising
- Rise of ad agencies. Ad Agency
- New mediums for advertising: magazines, newspapers, etc. Advertising Medium
- Influence of branding and brand loyalty. Brand Loyalty
- Branding and Trademarks:
- Concept and need for branding. Branding
- Emergence of trademarks. Trademarks
- Legal implications and battles. Trademark Law
- The birth of iconic brands in the 19th century. History of Brands
- Importance in differentiating products. Product Differentiation
- Shifts in Employment and Labor:
- Move from agrarian to industrial employment. Industrial Revolution
- Rise of factory work and related conditions. Factory Work
- Labor movements and their impact. Labor Movement
- The growth of specialized trades and professions. Trades and Professions
- Urban migration for job opportunities. Urban Migration
Government as a Balancing Force against Big Business[edit | edit source]
- Universal Service:
- Commitment to providing services to all citizens. Universal Service
- Telecommunication as an essential utility.
- Vision of the US Mail, and later telephony, for comprehensive service. US Mail
- Commitment to providing services to all citizens. Universal Service
- Public Interest and Common Carrier:
- The principle that certain businesses serving societal needs must operate fairly. Common Carrier
- Early instances in medieval royal charters granting exclusive business rights with attached duties for fairness. Royal Charter
- Evolution into the "common carrier" doctrine in English common law, emphasizing nondiscrimination in essential services.
- The telegraph and telephony's roles as crucial infrastructures reflecting this principle.
- The principle that certain businesses serving societal needs must operate fairly. Common Carrier
- Anti-Trust:
- Addressing monopolistic behaviors in the age of industrialization. U.S. Anti-Trust History
- Government efforts to dismantle monopolies and encourage competitive markets. Sherman Antitrust Act
- Addressing monopolistic behaviors in the age of industrialization. U.S. Anti-Trust History
Cognitive and Perceptual Transformations[edit | edit source]
- Redefinition of Time and Space:
- Accelerated pace of communication due to telegraphy. Telegraphy
- Alteration of traditional notions of distance and time. Time-space Compression
- Rapid dissemination of news and events, creating a more "immediate" world. History of Telecommunication
- Accelerated pace of communication due to telegraphy. Telegraphy
- Reality and its Reproductions:
- Photography's influence on perceptions of reality. Photography
- Challenging authenticity and originality. Authenticity in Art
- The phonograph's capture of sound and its implications on memory and experience. Phonograph
- Photography's influence on perceptions of reality. Photography
- Shifts in Literacy and Learning:
- Increased accessibility and democratization of information. Democratization of Information
- Evolution from purely textual to visual information mediums. Visual Literacy
- Emphasis on rapid information consumption and processing. Information Processing
- Increased accessibility and democratization of information. Democratization of Information
- Multisensory Engagement and Early Multimedia:
- The intertwining of auditory and visual experiences. Multimedia
- Emergence of new forms of entertainment and consumption. Media Consumption
- Interplay between different sensory experiences redefining cultural engagements. Culture Industry
- The intertwining of auditory and visual experiences. Multimedia
- ↑ ChatGPT in collaboration with Steven M. Schneider (2023-10-04). "Electric Age Cognitive Revolution". ChatGPT. Retrieved 2023-10-04.