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Jan 1, 1450
Johannes Gutenberg invents moveable type
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First American newspaper
Publick Occurrences publishes its first and only edition. -
John Peter Zenger trial
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Period: to
Party Press era
During this timespan, political parties sponsored or owned newspapers outright -
New York Sun begins publication
Sun was the first independent, non-partisan, advertising-supported newspaper. The New York Sun was the first example of the Penny Press -
Heinrich Hertz transmits wireless sound waves
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First movie camera
WikipediaEdison lab develops first movie camera -
Transatlantic communication
Guglielmo Marconi sends and receives radio message across the Atlantic -
Newsreel era begins
Short news briefs included in movie showings. The practice will continue into 1960s -
Radio era begins
First radio stations begin broadcasting in U.S. and Canada -
First broadcast network created
AT&T links two radio stations for first “network” -
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) established
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Commercial television broadcasts begin
England is first country with regular TV broadcasts -
First television ad broadcast
U.S. broadcasts first ad on television -
American political advertising era begins
Eisenhower runs 20-second campaign spot -
First presidential debate broadcast on television
Kennedy-Nixon debate -
ARPANET Online
Eventually, ARPANET would grow to become what is commonly known today as the Internet. -
CNN debuts
CNN broadcast for the first time -
Period: to
Open Internet access
Internet access opened to general public -
Telecommunications Act
Telecommunications Act deregulates broadcast ownership, allows for conglomerate ownership to expand -
Blogging
First news blogs are introduced -
Period: to
Cellular era
Rise of cell phone use and cellular technology -
Broadband internet saturation
Broadband is in half of American homes -
Smartphone era begins
iPhone revolutionizes smartphone technology