MCM101 Lesson 3

LESSON 3: SEVEN CENTURIES OF MASS COMMUNICATION – FROM PRINTING TO COMPUTER

1. According to the World Association of Newspapers, what was the first titled English language private newspaper and when was it published?
   The first titled English language private newspaper was The Corrant, published in London in 1621.
2. What was the name of the first English daily newspaper and who founded it?
   The first English daily newspaper was the Daily Courant, founded by Samuel Buckley on March 11, 1702.
3. What machine did Otto Mergenthaler invent in 1884, and what was its significance?
   Otto Mergenthaler invented the Linotype machine, which cast type in full lines using hot lead, representing a quantum leap in newspaper publishing.
4. Which country had the most newspaper readership according to United Nations’ data from 1995?
   Japan had the most newspaper readership according to 1995 UN data.
5. Who is commonly credited with the invention of radio transmission in 1895?
   Guglielmo Marconi is commonly credited with the invention of radio transmission in 1895.
6. What was the first regular radio broadcast in the USA in 1920 about?
   The first regular radio broadcast in the USA in 1920 brought presidential election returns.
7. In what year was the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) established in the United States?
   The FCC was established in 1934, after the Federal Radio Commission was reorganized.
8. In which year did Pakistan get its first TV station and in which city?
   Pakistan got its first TV station in Lahore in November 1964.
9. Explain how the concept of regular publication evolved from books to newspapers.
   After the circulation of books increased, including works on scientific discoveries, the idea to bring out a publication on a regular basis materialized, leading to the emergence of newspapers.
10. Explain the significance of the Linotype machine for the newspaper industry.
    The Linotype machine revolutionized typesetting by automatically casting entire lines of type using hot lead, drastically speeding up the newspaper publishing process.
11. How did the introduction of broadcast advertising change the radio industry?
    The introduction of broadcast advertising, starting with a paid talk in 1922, discovered that money could be made by promoting products on radio, establishing the commercial model for broadcasting.
12. Compare the funding models of the BBC and early commercial radio in the United States.
    The BBC was funded by public taxes on radio receivers, while early commercial radio in the United States was funded by advertising revenue.
13. Explain one major regulatory reason for the creation of the Federal Radio Commission (FRC) in the United States.
    The FRC was created to organize the licensing of transmitters and assign radio station frequencies to solve the problem of too many stations causing interference on the dial.
14. How did the development of computers in the 1990s impact mass communication?
    The development of computers, particularly the internet, in the 1990s became a major source of communication across the world, offering new ways to reach masses.
15. Why did many people build their own personal radio stations in the early days of radio?
    Scores of people were motivated by the ability to be widely heard by friends, neighbors, relatives, and even strangers, leading them to build personal radio stations.
16. Explain the business motivation for newspapers to strive for higher circulation.
    Newspapers strive for higher circulation so that advertising in their newspaper becomes more effective, allowing them to attract more advertisers and charge more for the service.
17. A newspaper publisher in the 1980s is deciding whether to invest in new computerized pagination technology. Based on the lesson, what is one key advantage this technology had over Linotype?
    Computerized pagination was a significant advancement that offered greater flexibility, speed, and eventually replaced the hot metal typesetting systems like Linotype that had been in use for nearly a century.
18. Analyze the following scenario: A new government is formed and wants to control the information reaching its citizens. Based on the historical use of radio, what is one method it might use?
    The government might sponsor the radio broadcasting system directly and use it to further its political aims, as many countries did and still do, insulating content from diverse viewpoints.
19. A modern media company relies heavily on online advertising revenue. How does this reflect a historical trend mentioned in the lesson for print newspapers?
    This reflects the historical trend where almost all newspapers make almost all their money from advertising, striving for higher audience reach to make advertising more effective and profitable.
20. Based on the lesson, why was the invention of television considered a “miracle” in modern mass communication?
    Television was considered a miracle because it could support images along with voice, allowing events to unfold in front of people as a real-life occurrence, adding a powerful visual dimension to mass communication.
21. Imagine you are a regulator in the 1920s. What was one primary challenge posed by the proliferation of personal radio stations?
    A primary challenge was that there were too many stations for the number of frequencies available, leading to interference on the radio dial and a “power battle” as some stations used more power to drown out others.
22. Apply your knowledge: How did the transition from “hot lead” typesetting to computerized pagination in the 1980s represent a broader technological shift?
    It represented the shift from industrial, mechanical processes to digital, electronic processes, increasing efficiency, speed, and the potential for more complex layouts and graphics in publishing.
23. A historian argues that the invention of the radio was more impactful than the newspaper for breaking news. Provide evidence from the lesson to support this.
    The lesson states that the first regular radio broadcast in the USA in 1920 brought presidential election returns in advance of the newspapers, demonstrating radio’s superior speed for breaking news.
24. Predict one potential effect of the internet (as part of computer-based communication) on traditional print and broadcast media, based on the pattern of new media emergence discussed in the lesson.
    Based on the pattern, a potential effect is that the internet would draw audience and advertising revenue away from traditional media, forcing them to adapt by providing content online.
25. If you were to create a timeline of major mass communication milestones from this lesson, what three inventions would you include from the 20th century?
    Three major 20th-century inventions would be Radio, Television, and the Computer/Internet.