Digital Media and Information in Society/Discussions/6-Telegraph, Phonograph, Photograph, Telephone

== Innovation in Information Technology in the 19th Century: The Telegraph, The Phonograph, The Photograph, and The Telephone ==

Introduction: The Evolutionary Spectrum

 * Recap of history:
 * Orality and its communal nature. Orality
 * Early literacy's rise with the alphabet. History of the Alphabet
 * The transformation brought by printing. History of Printing

19th Century Technologies: A Brief Overview

 * Telegraphy:
 * Samuel Morse's invention. Samuel Morse
 * The first transcontinental line. First Transcontinental Telegraph
 * Social and economic implications. Telegraphy Impact
 * Photography:
 * The daguerreotype process. Daguerreotype
 * Expansion into journalism. Photojournalism
 * Photography's democratization. History of Photography
 * Telephony:
 * Alexander Graham Bell's innovation. Alexander Graham Bell
 * Spread of telephone networks. History of the Telephone
 * Social transformations. Social Aspects of the Telephone
 * Phonography:
 * Edison’s phonograph. Phonograph
 * Music distribution and consumption changes:
 * Rise of recording studios. Recording Studio
 * Changes in music sales. Music Industry History
 * Cultural shifts in music appreciation. Music Appreciation
 * Preservation of oral history. Oral History

Late 19th Century Cultural Shifts

 * Rise of Urbanization Amplified by Communications:
 * Impact of the Telegraph:
 * Revolutionized long-distance communication, fostering faster urban growth and inter-city connections. Telegraphy
 * Financial districts and stock exchanges thrived due to instant communication, elevating cities as economic hubs.
 * The telegraph network laid the groundwork for future communication infrastructures


 * Social Restructuring
 * Role of the Telephone:
 * Transformed personal communication, allowing urban dwellers to maintain broader social networks. Telephone History
 * The rise of telephone exchanges and operators added new urban job roles and influenced city dynamics.
 * Phonograph's Cultural Influence:
 * Changed entertainment landscapes by enabling recorded music and performances. Phonograph
 * Birth of the music industry and the shift from live to recorded entertainment.
 * Cultural Hubs and the Lenses of Technology
 * Impact of Photography:
 * Allowed for the capture and sharing of urban life, influencing societal perceptions and memory. Photography's History
 * Magazines and newspapers incorporated photographs, enhancing storytelling and documentation.
 * Artists and social reformers used photography to highlight urban realities, from high society events to social issues.

Economic Transitions

 * Emergence of Consumer Culture:
 * Popularity of novel products. Consumer Culture
 * Shifts in retail and buying habits. Retail
 * Advent of department stores. Department Store
 * Changing dynamics of the marketplace. Marketplace
 * Growth of mail-order businesses. Mail Order
 * Advertising's growth and strategies. History of Advertising
 * Rise of ad agencies. Ad Agency
 * New mediums for advertising: magazines, newspapers, etc. Advertising Medium
 * Influence of branding and brand loyalty. Brand Loyalty


 * Branding and Trademarks:
 * Concept and need for branding. Branding
 * Emergence of trademarks. Trademarks
 * Legal implications and battles. Trademark Law
 * The birth of iconic brands in the 19th century. History of Brands
 * Importance in differentiating products. Product Differentiation


 * Shifts in Employment and Labor:
 * Move from agrarian to industrial employment. Industrial Revolution
 * Rise of factory work and related conditions. Factory Work
 * Labor movements and their impact. Labor Movement
 * The growth of specialized trades and professions. Trades and Professions
 * Urban migration for job opportunities. Urban Migration

Government as a Balancing Force against Big Business

 * Universal Service:
 * Commitment to providing services to all citizens. Universal Service
 * Telecommunication as an essential utility.
 * Vision of the US Mail, and later telephony, for comprehensive service. US Mail


 * Public Interest and Common Carrier:
 * The principle that certain businesses serving societal needs must operate fairly. Common Carrier
 * Early instances in medieval royal charters granting exclusive business rights with attached duties for fairness. Royal Charter
 * Evolution into the "common carrier" doctrine in English common law, emphasizing nondiscrimination in essential services.
 * The telegraph and telephony's roles as crucial infrastructures reflecting this principle.


 * Anti-Trust:
 * Addressing monopolistic behaviors in the age of industrialization. U.S. Anti-Trust History
 * Government efforts to dismantle monopolies and encourage competitive markets. Sherman Antitrust Act

Cognitive and Perceptual Transformations

 * Redefinition of Time and Space:
 * Accelerated pace of communication due to telegraphy. Telegraphy
 * Alteration of traditional notions of distance and time. Time-space Compression
 * Rapid dissemination of news and events, creating a more "immediate" world. History of Telecommunication


 * Reality and its Reproductions:
 * Photography's influence on perceptions of reality. Photography
 * Challenging authenticity and originality. Authenticity in Art
 * The phonograph's capture of sound and its implications on memory and experience. Phonograph


 * Shifts in Literacy and Learning:
 * Increased accessibility and democratization of information. Democratization of Information
 * Evolution from purely textual to visual information mediums. Visual Literacy
 * Emphasis on rapid information consumption and processing. Information Processing


 * Multisensory Engagement and Early Multimedia:
 * The intertwining of auditory and visual experiences. Multimedia
 * Emergence of new forms of entertainment and consumption. Media Consumption
 * Interplay between different sensory experiences redefining cultural engagements. Culture Industry