Michael Bloomberg - Media Matters

The history of mass media can be traced back to the early days on antiquity when dramas were performed in various ancient cultures. It was in such theatres where a form of media was “broadcasted” to a wider audience.

- Jordan Low

The first instance of printed media can be dated back to 868 AD in China, although the slow rate of literacy and the high cost of paper often stifled its popularity. Johannes Gutenberg's invention of the printing press allowed the mass production of books to sweep over the lands in 1440, giving rise to the first forms of mass communication through the publishing of books and newspapers on a scale much larger than previously possible.

The phrase the media began to be used in the 1920s. The notion of mass media was generally restricted to print media up until the post- Second World War, when radio, television and video were introduced. The audio-visual medium became very popular because they provided both information and entertainment. The colour and sound provided by television and radio was able to engage viewers and listeners far more than books ever could because it was easier for the general public to passively watch television or listen to the radio than to actively concentrate on reading.

Fast forward to the 21st century, now the media is indisputably dominated by one medium, the Internet. The Internet is arguably one of humanity’s greatest invention. It has become so interconnected with our everyday lives that to take the internet away means to grind the entire world to a halt. Whole businesses and communications revolve around the internet; and it is also now the fastest and most efficient means of communicating the news to widest audience possible.

Vast fortunes have been made through the mass media, and with technology advancing at its current pace, even more opportunities lie ahead, with the Internet at its core.