Wednesday, May 9, 2007

W 125 M

The media is: "newspapers and broadcasting, by which information is conveyed to the general public" (Oxford Paperback Dictionary, 1987). These means of telecommunication are the providers of up-to-date information and because of this their existence is of great importance.

Newspapers' role -as a provider- has been strongly influenced by the continuous development of technology. As a result of the exploration of radio waves, a new provider has emerged taking over some subjects of newspaper such as current news and weather report. It has also offered new dimensions of telecommunication: the live broadcasting of music and sport events, as well as interviews with famous personages (scientists, politicians etc.). Although this form of spreading information was more comfortable and practical - great number of people could not read- it still did not satisfy the general public.

The reason why radio could not entirely take over the role of newspaper is the lack of visual effects. Because people are likely to lead an easy life, the next achievement of idle human intelligence possessed the combination of visual and audio effects. Television is probably the most adequate device that humanity ever invented, which is the main reason for its rapid, global and popular extension.

During the Cold War, in the USA the government began the elaboration of a decentralised computer network that can freely send, receive and forward information among its own specialised machinery. First it served for defence and strategy, but later researches continued for its use in peace as well. In 1963, in UCLA the first non-military network was introduced, which was followed by other universities. In the beginning only information in text could be used, but 1993 the new version could send audio and visual information as well.

Thanks to Bill Gates, nowadays people are capable of managing their lives from their home using their personal computers, which means that the role of newspapers and broadcasting is slowly decreasing. Bill Gates offers a solution for getting all the information one needs from any corner of the world in a considerably short time. With the Internet one can read all the leading papers and magazines; listen to radio channels (for example: Petofi and Kossuth in Australia); watch different programmes (videoclips, live concerts, conferences: the last KFT gig in BS or a videoclip from David Bowie's latest album, which is only available on the Net); one can write letters as well saving huge amount on postal expenditures; the Net is also on-line library offering all sorts of writings from Tarzan to the Bible, what is more one can even confess his sins to a priest of his own choice; there are different kinds of games to entertain children; managing bank account and shopping; there are other subjects including arts, business, economics, politics, education, health, sciences and cultures.

The advantages of the Internet change people's life radically and this change will have probably a devastating impacts on the former forms of the media. People need time to get used to it, as they had to get used to radio and television. Until then, they have to get the MONEY for having the Internet in their own homes and not just in the University!

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