A hand-out and powerpoint presentation in Media and Information

Literacy prepared by Jayson Manuel L. Osong on January 12, 2017 to

facilitate learning among Grade 12 students of Cordillera Regional High
School.

Lesson 2 of Week 2, Quarter 1 of Semester 1

Grade 12 Euclid (Tue-Thu, 10:20AM-11:20AM; Fri, 1PM-2PM)
Grade 12 Gauss (Tue-Thu, 11:20AM-12:20PM; Fri, 2PM-3PM)

Lesson 2:
The Evolution of Media: From Traditional to New Media

Media is no longer just a source of information. It helps to

bridge the economic, political and societal gaps. It unites
people and nations. It advocates change and propagates development for the betterment of the people and
the communities.

Media is the foundation of democracy. Media serve as window for people to see important events in the
social, political, and economic scene that would greatly affect their lives.

Media is the watchdog of the society. In a democratic society. It exposes irregularities and ambiguities in the
system of democracy, which awakens the challenges the government to correct and solve the issues to make
the system more responsive and accountable.

Media as oftentimes the only source of information, it must ensure the following:

1. Implementation of utmost professionalism.

2. Must be objective at all times
3. Provides the public with balanced reporting
4. Fair and honest covering of stories and events
5. Examine and comprehend the interest of the public
6. Make avenue to represent different voice and opinions

The Importance of Media

The value of media lies in its pervasive nature, its function as an information and entertainment source, its role
as a persuasion forum, and its binding influence on people (John Vivian, The Media of Mass Communication).

Pervasiveness is the present or noticeable in every part of thing or place (Cambridge Dictionary). Over
the past decades, the world has grown more and more dependent on media. It is for this reason that TV
network and radio stations continue to multiply. Print media do not seem to die down completely
despite many expert predictions. The internet has been listed as a basic human right by the United
Nations.

Information Source
Media has become the largest source of information.
Everyone gets their own dose of news and current affairs on a particular media platform of their choice.

Entertainment Source
TV shows, music, films, books, clips and videos, and social media, are just some of the things that media
offers as entertainment.

Persuasion Forum
The media has the power to persuade people. In addition to having influence on peoples beliefs, it
also acts as a platform for discussion and debate.

Binding Influence
People rely on media in their daily lives. People dependence on media has resulted to the medias
binding influence with its audience.

The Concepts Of Mass Media And Media Demassification

Mass Media refers to channels of communication that involve transmitting information in some way, shape or
form to large numbers of people.

4 Essential Characteristics of Media (Dutton et al, 1998)

1. Distance makes mass media impersonal, lacking immediacy, and one way.
2. Technology makes media possible to operate.
3. Scale allows mass media to broadcast simultaneously.
 4. Commodity. Due its massive scale and the technological equipment it requires, mass media is an
expensive type of communication.

Media Demassification

Demassification derives from the word demassify which means to break up or divide (social or political unit) into
its component parts. In specifically, determining the target market, media demassification can tailor fit the
message and delivery according to their market and achieve the intended purpose.

The Evolution of Media

It is important to look back at how media evolved through times to have a better understanding on the
milestone set in the history of media.

Prehistoric Age
NBC news reported the discovery of a 40000-year-old cave painting in Sulawesi, Indonesia. Several other
discoveries of cave art around the world have proven that even at a time when no known civilizations existed
the media have been a part of mans life. The innate need for people to communicate is said to be the reason
for their existence. Despite their lack of speech during those days, cavemen found a means to convey their
thoughts. Although different from our methods, they have the same reasons we do for using the media.

After the Stone Age, ancient civilization began to emerge along with certain form of speech. The development
of language made record Keeping among civilization possible. This is where the ancient forms of writing came
into the picture. The earliest of which is the hieroglyphic script of the ancient Egyptian civilization developed
around 32000 BCE. (Scoville, 2015) The Sumerians developed another notable ancient form of writing around
5000 BCE called the cuneiform. (Mark, 2011)

These earliest scripts were initially inscribed on wet clay with a reed implement. Eventually, with the invention of
paper, writing has become a lot easier. Many believe that the Egyptians developed the earliest paper through
an abundant reed found along the Nile River. History, however, credits the Han dynasty for the invention of
paper. (Violatti, 2013).

The creation of paper allowed ancient scribes to preserve history through manuscripts. These manuscripts are
referred to as the earliest form of the print media.

Industrial Age
The industrial age brought improvements in mass media. In the book Industrialization in the Modern World,
Hinshaw and Stearns cited the changes in mass media in the industrial age. In print, faster, steam-driven presses
and methods of translating photographs to the printing press. The year 1850s paved the way for cheaper
manufacturing of paper. In 1890s automatic composing machines allowed semiskilled typesetting from
keyboards t replace highly skilled manual setting. Advances in photography allowed illustration.

Electronic Age
The electronic age of media began with the invention of the telegraph during the mid-1840s. According to
Howe, it was a part of a widespread revolution in communications along with the mass of the industrial age of
media, paved the way to the dawn of a new era.

Bill Kovarik said that the invention of the telegraph led to telephones, radios, and televisions. It revolutionized
communication and the media from the physical-print-to transmitted signals over distance. Through this, the
barrier of space were broken allowing a quicker communication during the electronic age.

Information Age
Todays has come along from a long from way cave paintings. While the traces of the industrial and electronic
age still remain in modern media, the Internet is the prevailing platform of media in the information age.

The Internet is a development instead of an invention. What people know today as the World Wide Web began
as a more secure alternative means of communication during the cold war, called the ARPAnet. Janet Abbate
defines the ARPAnet as a single network connecting a few dozen sites. By using packet switching or the process
of breaking down information and sending it through different routes, the United States communication system
can survive a Soviet Attack. (Abbate, 2000).
Media Specific Roles In Democratic Society

Broadcast

Print

New Media

Info-Action
1. Form a group and discuss the specific role of media in a demographic society. List all the observation of the
group and present to the class. Use the matrix below.

2. Form a group and discuss the concept of mass media and demassification. In the given matrix identify the
advantages based on the purpose. Present to the class group answer.

PURPOSE MASS MEDIA DEMASSIFICATION

As source of information

As source of entertainment

Binding Influence

Persuasion

Pervasiveness