Evolution of Mass Media By jashary1087 105 Chinese paper (didn’t arrive in West for centuries) 105 A.D. 540 Public library in Athens 540 B.C. Jan 9, 600 Egyptian papyrus scrolls 600 B.C. Jan 9, 1450 Gutenberg press (leads to Protestant Revolution, among other things) 1450 Jan 9, 1500 1500s – Italian gazettes Jan 9, 1517 Martin Luther nails “Ninety Five Theses” to church door in Wittenberg, Germany 1517 Jan 9, 1534 1534 – first press in America (Spanish America) Jan 9, 1618 1618 – Dutch Coranto (printed in English in 1620) Jan 9, 1638 1638 – first press in what would become U.S. (Harvard College) Jan 9, 1644 1644 – John Milton denounces licensing of the press in Areopagitica Jan 12, 1665 1665 - Oxford Gazette (first English-language newspaper) in England Jan 12, 1690 1690 – First American newspaper: Publick Occurrences (lasts one issue) Jan 12, 1704 1704 – First successful American newspaper: The Boston News-Letter Jan 12, 1735 1735 – John Peter Zenger trial Jan 12, 1741 1741 – First American magazines Jan 12, 1791 1791 – Bill of Rights (including First Amendment) ratified Jan 20, 1827 1827 – First African-American newspaper in U.S.: Freedom’s Journal Jan 20, 1828 1828 – Noah Webster publishes first dictionary Jan 20, 1844 1844 – Samuel Morse granted patent for telegraph. First message, May 24: “What hath God wrought?” Second message: “Have you any news?” Jan 20, 1848 1848 – Associated Press founded Jan 20, 1860 1860-1865 – Civil War brings home “necessity” of news Jan 20, 1877 1877 – Thomas Edison invents the “talking machine” Jan 20, 1888 1888 – Edison lab develops movie camera Jan 20, 1888 1888 – George Eastman introduces the Kodak camera Jan 21, 1888 1888 – Heinrich Hertz transmits wireless sound waves Jan 21, 1890 1890s – Edison develops mass market phonograph Jan 21, 1891 1891 –Edison patents Kinetoscope – first parlor opens 1894 in New York Jan 21, 1899 1899 – “Stunt girl” Nellie Bly circles the world Jan 9, 1900 Semitic alphabet in Egypt 1900-1800 B.C Jan 21, 1901 1901 – Guglielmo Marconi sends and receives radio message across the Atlantic (Morse code, point to point) Jan 21, 1905 1905 – First “nickelodeon” Jan 21, 1906 1906 – Reginald Fessenden broadcasts voice Jan 9, 2000 Phoenician Alphabet 2000 B.C. Jan 9, 3100 Sumerian “writing” system on clay tablets 3100 B.C. Jan 9, 4000 Sumerian stamp seals 4000 B.C.
