Has the Internet Changed News for Better or Worse? 250 Years of Technology

Many claims have been made, both positive and negative, for the transformative nature of internet news in the age of social media. An historical perspective is brought to that debate, by looking at the effects that earlier changes to news production have had for politics, society and commerce. It focuses on two major revolutions - the creation of the mass media in the 19th century, and the broadcasting revolution of the 20th century. What can we learn from history about how deeply the inter...