A Short History of the Modern Media

A Short History of the Modern Media presents a concise history of the major media of the last 150 years, including print, stage, film, radio, television, sound recording, and the Internet. Offers a compact, teaching-friendly presentation of the history of mass media Features a discussion of works in popular culture that are well-known and easily available Presents a history of modern media that is strongly interdisciplinary in nature

List of Figures ix Acknowledgments xv Introduction: Medium Message 1 Overview 2 Further Reading 11 1 Print’s Run: Publishing as Popular Culture 13 Overview 14 Genre Study / Terrifying pleasures: Horror 31 Document Study / The ravenous imagination of Edgar Allan Poe 38 Document Study / Carrie: Princess of blood, King of horror 44 Further Reading 49 2 Dramatic Developments: The World of the Stage 51 Overview 52 Genre Study / Notes from the stage: The Broadway musical 69 Document Study / Show Boat: High tide of the American musical 77 Further Reading 83 3 Reel Life: The Art of Motion Pictures 85 Overview 86 Genre Study / Horse sense: The logic of the western 102 Document Study / The Searchers: Monumental western 111 Further Reading 116 4 Making Waves: Radio in American Life 119 Overview 120 Genre Study / Worlds away: Science fiction 134 Document Study / The Mercury Theater on the Air: Worlds war 142 Document Study / Buck Rogers: Finding time (in space) 149 Further Reading 153 5 Channels of Opportunity: The Arc of Television Broadcasting 155 Overview 156 Genre Study / Screened realities: Situation comedy 173 Document Study / Seriously funny: I Love Lucy 181 Further Reading 187 6 Sound Investments: The Evolution of Sound Recording 190 Overview 191 Genre Study / Joyful blues: The rise and fall of rock and roll 213 Document Study / ‘‘Beat It’’: The integration of Michael Jackson 224 Document Study / Speak Now: The gently assertive voice of Taylor Swift 232 Further Reading 237 7 Weaving the Web: The Emergence of the Internet 240 Overview 241 Genre Study / Shared exchanges: Social media 260 Document Study / Wikipedia: The wisdom of crowds 268 Further Reading 274 Index 277