Media Timeline Most Important Inventions in Media History

  • Jan 1, 1000

    Creation of the Alphabet

    Creation of the Alphabet
    Invented Fourth Millenium BCE - Inventor Unknown
    The alphabet is the collection of written symbols fit together and used to describe certain sounds within the verbal language, a way of communication with out verbal contact.
    The creation of the alphabet is possibly the largest milestone in our media's history. Communication had evolved from verbal, to visual, and idea's could now be recorded for future generations to observe. Without the alphabet media would not be what we recognise it as today.
  • Jan 1, 1440

    The Printing Press

    The Printing Press
    Formal Date Unknown
    The printing press was created by Johannes Gutenberg. With the printing press came a rapidly increasing rate of literacy, as it made books and other reading materials far more easier to obtain and much less expensive. Books were now far easier to create and distribute, thus the cost decreased greatly. The literacy rate estimatedly went from 5% to 50% within a century. A huge turning point in media history, as it gave more people the ability to read.
  • Discovery of Radio Wave Lengths

    Discovery of Radio Wave Lengths
    Formal Date Unknown
    James Clerk Maxwell discovered that the air held something called radio wave lengths of which could be altered and used to communicate. It was this discovery that led to the creation of the radio. The radio has changed how we communicate with one another, and how we access entertainment. It greatly increased the publics interest in media as it made stories, music, and information avalible at the turn of a dial.
  • Vinyl Disc Player

    Vinyl Disc Player
    Formal Date Unknown.
    Emile Berliner created the first ever Vinyl disc and music player in 1888 greatly changing the worlds appreciation for music. Concerts and musician performances were no longer the only way to appreciate music, with this invention music was able to be appreciated within ones home, whenever one wanted. It was evolutionary to the music media and it allowed many more to grow to love and appreciate music, bringing the medium to a forefront.
  • Video Camera

    Video Camera
    Formal Date Unknown.
    When John Largie Baird invented the television he also oinvented the video camera, each pointless without the other. The video camera has changed our media because it has single handedly created a whole new area of media. Television, cinematic films all created by and due to the video camera. These mediums our huge within our society today, and they were all made possible by the video camera.
    [Same image as television due to both inventions in one image]
  • Television

    Television
    Formal Date Unknown
    The creation of the television shaped our media's history, in the way that it brought in a whole new form of media. The creator John Largie Baird was the first to demonstrate this motion picture technology. The television evolved to bring us movies, tv shows, news cast, and many more forms of media that are now extremely prominent within our society today.
  • First Computer

    First Computer
    Formal Date Unknown.
    The first ever electrical binary programmable system was created by Konrad Zuse and his parents in their home living room. This has shaped our media greatly as computers control next to everything we use in our society today. Computers are used to edit, and develope televison, and movies, as well as record music. They are the main source from which people today gain their media and information from, and have shaped our industrial lives greatly.
  • VHS Player

    VHS Player
    Formal Date Unknown
    The Sony company engineers developed this invention which again shaped our media. The VHS player changed the movie industry as suddenly movies were no longer things that could only be seen at a cinema. Movies could now be purchased, and watched over and over again within the comfort of ones own home. This was before unheard of, and it goes without saying it changed the movie world, as it allowed many more people to be able to enjoy the medium.
  • Cellphone

    Cellphone
    Formal Date Unknown.
    Martin Cooper was the first man to create this portable communication system, a telephone that could be taken with you anywhere. Evolutionary to the media world as it suddenly meant humans could always be in contact with each other, no matter where they went. This technology has gone on to bring us devices such as smart phones which our one of our times largest media outlets.
  • MP3 Player

    MP3 Player
    Formal Date Unknown
    This evolutionary portable music device was first introduced by the Saehin / Eiger Labs engineers. Although portable music devices before the MP3 had been known for awhile (such as walkmens and cassette players), this was the first portable device that recuired no CD or additional disc information. The device stored the music for you, a huge step for the music distribution industry, as it has changed how we share and listen to music drasticaly.