Traditional and New Media
Pre-industrial Age (Pre- 1700’s)
This era is described to occur before the 1700’s or the boom of the industrial age. This period is
also known as the prehistoric age, as most of the media used to record information dates back to
ancient civilizations. The earliest examples of media discovered in this period are shown in
prehistoric cave paintings, which have been around since 35,000 BC. Other examples of media
from the pre-industrial age are the papyrus paper used in ancient Egypt in 2,500 BC, the clay
tablets found in Mesopotamia in 2,400 BC, the Acta Diurna (an early gazette) in Rome in 130
BC, the Dibao (an ancient gazette) in China in the second century, the codex in the Mayan region
in the fifth century, and the wooden printing blocks found in 220 AD. All of these were seen as
evidence that the earliest civilizations had already honed the skills to convey information,
through writing and drawing on whichever material was available during that time using their
primitive languages.
Industrial Age (1700’s to 1930’s)
This period is described as the product of harnessing the power of machines. The industrial age
(1700’s to 1930’s) not only paved the way for the mass production of goods and products, but
also became responsible for the widespread dissemination of information. The most notable
invention of this era is undoubtedly the printing press in the nineteenth century, as it allowed the
mass production of books, newspapers, and other printed materials. The typewriter in the 1800’s
allowed a more uniform method of recording text without the confusion of understanding the
handwriting of every person. The industrial age also paved the way for the introduction of
motion pictures as it continued to evolve from 1890’s to 1926. The invention of the telegraph
and the telephone allowed real-time communication across a great distance; this in turn allowed
people to convey messages and information in a faster and more efficient manner.
Electronic Age (1930’s to 1980’s)
The invention of the transistor started the era of electronic computing. This device allowed the
development of electronic components which are far more efficient than their analog
counterparts. The earliest electronic devices that used the this invention were the transistor radio,
the television in 1941, the first generations of large electronic computers and mainframes, and
the earliest forms of personal computers. The electronic age allowed mass media to take form;
thanks to this, wherein a vast number of recipients would be able to receive data transmitted
from a single source in real time.
Information Age (1900’s to 2000’s)
This modern age is characterized by the massive influence of the Internet. The Internet allowed
communication and information to be accessible real-time and on-demand anywhere across the
globe. Electronic computing devices such as personal computers, smartphones, tablets, and
wearable devices all harness the power and capabilities of the Internet. The most notable trend in
this era is the use of social media websites and applications in order to reach out to people. A
majority of media resources are already being converted to digital as they are easier to consume
and transferred compared to traditional media. Current trends such as cloud computing and big
data are also buzzwords in the information age.
The need for continuous improvement in the means and methods of communication was already
apparent the earliest civilizations. Being able to transfer information and knowledge in a manner
that is more efficient and effective is still the goal, evident in the evolution of traditional to new
media. From the earliest forms of one-on-one communication, inventions like the printing press
and the transistor were able to revolutionize how people send and receive information on a
massive scale. The information age and the emergence of digital media, on the other hand,
allowed for real-time communication and on-demand access to information through modern
electronic devices and social media platforms. New media is here to stay, and we can expect it to
become even more pervasive and influential in our everyday lives.
