Gutenberg to Zuckerberg: Changes in Media Technology

In this YouTube video, author and journalist, Jeff Jarvis says, "Don't Fear the Gadget" and explains the evolution of technology from Gutenberg to Zuckerberg.


From Gutenberg to Zuckerberg, the world has experienced exponential growth in how information is exchanged. From the 15th century to present day, new technologies have enabled greater communication for the masses. Media technology has increased the connectivity of individuals through mediums such as print, telegraph, smart phones, and the internet, by enabling access to information which is increasingly less expensive and more available than ever before.


With an auspicious beginning in the 15th century, the printing press became the means by which the printed word was spread throughout Europe and subsequently the world. This written medium gave rise to one of America’s most cherished institutions, the press. (Dittmar, 2011) Indeed, institutions such as newspapers and magazines are challenged by the proliferation of newer technologies that allow readers the economic ease and convenience of reading material via electronic devices. However, the printed word is also widely used in many formats including educational materials, pamphlets, brochures, and coupons. It was a paper merchant who ushered in the next wave of media technology, the telegraph.