"In telling the history of mass media, we deal with four main elements that are of significance in the wider life of society. These are: certain communicative purposes, needs, or uses; technologies for communicating publicly to many at a distance; forms of social organization that provide the skills "
"The history of modern media begins with the printed book – certainly a kind of revolution, yet initially only a technical device for reproducing a range of texts the same as, or similar to, what was already being extensively copied by hand. Only gradually does printing lead to a change in content – "
"The book as a medium and institution: key features 2.1 [Medium aspects] *Technology of movable type *Bound pages, codex form *Multiple copies *For personal reading *Individual authorship [Institutional aspects] *Commodity form *Market distribution *Diversity of content and form *Claim to freedom of "
"2.2 The newspaper as medium and institution: key features [Medium aspects] *Regular and frequent appearance *Print technology *Topicality of contents and reference *Individual or group reading [Institutional aspects] *Urban, secular audience *Relative freedom, but self-censored *In public domain *Co"
"One common early form of the newspaper was the party-political paper dedicated to the task of activation, information and organization. The party newspaper (published by or for the party) has lost ground to commercial press forms, both as an idea and as a viable business enterprise."
"The new prestige or ‘elite’ press was independent from the state and from vested interests and was often recognized as a major institution of political and social life (especially as a self-appointed former of opinion and voice of the ‘national interest’). It tended to show a highly developed sense "
"This is the truly ‘mass’ newspaper that was created for sale to the urban industrial masses and designed to be read by almost everyone. It was a fundamentally commercial enterprise (rather than a political or professional project) and was made possible by advances in technologies of scale, concentra"