What three technologies made the greatest impact on mass communication?

The technology of yesterday has lead to advancement and newer technologies.  It’s a progression.  This makes it very difficult to decide which technologies have lead to the greatest impact on communication.  The world wouldn’t have had e-readers if the printing press had never been invented.  Nonetheless, a ranking of the top three technologies based on the opinion of the author follows below.

The invention of the radio comes in at number 3.  Prior to the radio, mass communication was limited to reading the newspaper, word of mouth, and public meetings.  The masses were very limited.  Then the radio came along and changed everything.  The radio allowed for a broadcast to be made to every person that had a radio.  News, messages, communication in general could be relayed to a much larger audience.  The message could be sent at a speed that had been previously unheard of.  No longer were people dependent upon the speed of the printing press.  No longer did the unreliability of reaching everybody through word of mouth matter.  No longer did every person have to attend public meetings.  Attendance was no longer necessary to hear the message.

Coming in at number 2 on my list is the television.  Television shared many similarities to the radio.  It offered a broadcast to a mass audience.  It was a quick and nearly instantaneous way of finding out what is going on.  The difference is that television was able to broadcast pictures and video of the communication as well.  The old cliché goes “seeing is believing” and t.v. offered just that.  The television offered the first glimpse of the horror of wars, the first images of the assassination of a president, and transported a captive audience to the event.  The American population was able to watch the Vietnam War and react due to television.

Of course number 1 on my list would have to be the internet.  Being able to be connected to the entire world is unsurpassable.  The internet is widely 2 way communication which allows a message to receive feedback almost instantly.  This has revolutionized communication and connected us all.