EVOLUTION OF MASS MEDIA AND

COMMUNICATION

CONTENTS
1. Letters and Leaflets...................................................................................................... 2

2. Books (Handwritten).................................................................................................... 2

Example............................................................................................................................. 2

3. Printing........................................................................................................................... 2

Interesting fact.................................................................................................................... 2

4. Newspapers and magazines........................................................................................ 2

Some prominent newspapers of that time...................................................................2

a. France...................................................................................................................... 2

b. America................................................................................................................... 2

c. Australia.................................................................................................................. 3

d. Sub-continent......................................................................................................... 3

Invention of the linotype machine.................................................................................3

Development from 1980 onwards.................................................................................3

Advertisement or business side of newspapers and magazines..............................3

5. Invention of Radio......................................................................................................... 3

History............................................................................................................................... 3

Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company..........................................................................3

Radio Broadcasting.......................................................................................................... 3

Initial issues with Radio transmissions........................................................................3

Some prominent Radio stations of that time...............................................................3

a. BBC........................................................................................................................... 3

b. CBC........................................................................................................................... 3

c. AIR............................................................................................................................ 3
 d. Radio Pakistan........................................................................................................ 3

6. Invention of Television................................................................................................. 3

7. Computer........................................................................................................................ 4

History............................................................................................................................... 4

Purpose.............................................................................................................................. 4

First computer in Pakistan............................................................................................. 4

Role of computer in terms of Mass communication....................................................4

Second version

 Conventional (prior to the scientific revolution)

1. LETTERS AND LEAFLETS

Letters and leaflets are the primary form of mass communication. Letters from the courts of kings and rulers were
sent to nobles or governors of the respective area. Although the number of nobles may not be very high as compared to
today's standard, in this way, messages were disseminated among the masses.

2. BOOKS (HANDWRITTEN)
As letters contain a single subject (topic), the next step was a shift from letters to books. The books contain several
subjects (topics). That handwritten book ruled the world for centuries by transmitting the points of view and opinion of
writers to the hundreds and thousands of people around the world.

EXAMPLE
Baghdad, the capital of the Abbasid dynasty, A large number of scribes (those individuals who write the copies of books
and other scriptures by hand) were employed by the government to write the copies of different books.

3. PRINTING
The invention of the printing process was a milestone in mass communication. The oldest method of printing was
block printing. The first printing machine was invented by engineer and artisan Bi Sheng in 1041 A.C. "The diamond
sutra" (Buddhist scripture) is considered to be the oldest printed text, which was printed in 868 A.C. Similarly, the
modern printing press (movable type) was invented by a German goldsmith and inventor, Johann Gutenberg, in 1455
A.C. With the invention of the printing press, a lot of time was saved, as writing books by hand was a time-taking
 process. With the invention of the printing press (movable type), an increase in literacy, participation in political affairs,
and change in the thinking of people were experienced.

INTERESTING FACT
The invention of the printing press played a key role during the Renaissance movement in Europe. Philosophers like
Montesquieu, Marquis de Sade, Olympe de Gouges, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, through their writings, shape the minds
of people. The message of these authors was disseminated with the help of printing copies of their books. As we know,
the Renaissance movement was the cultural and intellectual transformation in Europe; in the end, it resulted in the
scientific revolution.

 Modern information and communication technologies (era started with the

scientific revolution)

4. NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES

The concept of regular publication took almost two centuries to become a reality in the form of newspapers and
magazines. As per the "World Association of Newspapers," the first English-language private newspaper was "The
Corrant," published in London in 1621.

SOME PROMINENT NEWSPAPERS OF THAT TIME

A. FRANCE
"The Gazette" was the first French newspaper; it was published in 1631.
B. AMERICA
"Public occurrences in Boston" was the first American (when America was the colony of Britain) newspaper
published in 1690.
C. AUSTRALIA
"Sydney Gazette" and "New South Wales" (advertiser) were the first Australian newspapers published in 1803.
D. SUB-CONTINENT
In the subcontinent, the first Urdu newspaper was "Jam e Jahanuma." It's publishing was started in Kolkata (then
Calcutta) by an East India Company in 1822. while the first English-language newspaper was published in 1780 by
the name of "Hickey's Bengal Gazette" by James Augustus Hicky.

INVENTION OF THE LINOTYPE MACHINE

 Its usage remained until 1980.
 It was succeeded by a computerized pagination process.
 Linotype machines were invented by Otto Mergenthaler in 1884.

DEVELOPMENT FROM 1980 ONWARDS

  Since the 1980s, newspapers and magazines have used the three-colour printing process.
 Adopting such a technology attracted the attention and interest of the reader towards itself.

ADVERTISEMENT OR BUSINESS SIDE OF NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES

 Almost all newspapers at that time made money through ads.

5. INVENTION OF RADIO
HISTORY
In 1895, Irish-Italian inventor and engineer Guglielmo Marconi succeeded in transmitting messages through radio
waves.

MARCONI WIRELESS TELEGRAPH COMPANY

Guglielmo Marconi established his company by the name of Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company after proving that
wireless transmissions are workable.

RADIO BROADCASTING
After the invention of radio, people realised its effectiveness, and radio broadcasting was regularly started in 1907.
The commencement of broadcasting through radio was a landmark in the history of mass communication.

INITIAL ISSUES WITH RADIO TRANSMISSIONS

Just after the invention of Radio transmissions, People established their own Radio stations which created major
problems for people. There were too many stations for the number of frequencies available to distinguish them on the
Radio dial. But soon the countries enacted laws and regulations, to solve the issues. Then for the running of a Radio
station, the state issued a license to the willing one's.

SOME PROMINENT RADIO STATIONS OF THAT TIME

A. BBC
The British broadcasting corporation was founded in 1923, in Great Britain.
B. CBC
Canadian broadcasting corporation was established in 1936, in Canada.
C. AIR
All India radio was established in subcontinent, in 1930.
D. RADIO PAKISTAN
Radio Pakistan started it's functioning on 14 th August, 1947 from Karachi and Lahore. In 1950s new radio
stations were established in Quetta, Peshawar and Dacca (Dhaka).

6. INVENTION OF TELEVISION
  TV was invented in 1927.
 It was and is a device which supports or supported both voice and image before people as real life experiences.
 TV took almost 10 years, to get to the position of strong source of mass communication.
 After the end of WW-II, a rapid development in the telecommunication field or technology was experienced by
the world.
 In 1940s (fourth decade of the century), TV stations were established in most of the countries, laws and
regulations were enacted and TV sets were sold in large amount by the end of 1940s.
 The next decade i.e., the 1950s the world witnessed the advancement of TV sets i.e. introduction of coloured
TV sets and also the use of remote control.

7. COMPUTER
HISTORY
Computer has a long history:
 Charles Babbage introduced first mechanical computer in 1822.
 Electronic computers were introduced in 1940s.
 Introduction of Mainframe (large, centralized computers for business and government affair) and minicomputers
(smaller, more affordable computers for smaller businesses and organizations) in limited amount in 1960s.
 Launching of PCs (personal computers) in the 1970s.
 Beginning the era of the cell phones, smart phones, tablets, laptops and AI (artificial intelligence) from 1990s to
the present day.

PURPOSE
 The main purpose of developing computers was fast data processing and quick communication.

FIRST COMPUTER IN PAKISTAN

 University of engineering and technology, Lahore first acquired the computer for their lab in 1960s, it's size was
equal to the size of a room.

ROLE OF COMPUTER IN TERMS OF MASS COMMUNICATION

 We can read newspapers and approach other informative websites like google scholar, academia and pub mad.
These all are available to millions of people around the world and it make it a medium of mass communication.
 A computer remains personal until or unless it gives benefits to us alone but when we put something on it in the
form of a YouTube channel, website and any other thing which is accessible for anyone from any place, then it
becomes the medium of Mass communication.