The Telegraph and the Internet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Telegraph and the Internet - Essay Example In both cases, this linking of two users led to the development of a complex network of wired channels linking different geographical areas of countries and ultimately the whole world. In case of both the revolutions, the pioneers were rewarded with unprecedented levels of wealth. Technology: Recurring themes can be observed, as far as the communication technology is concerned. Due to the wired technology of the telegraph, it became necessary to invent a coded method like the Morse Code (a binary system of dots and dashes), which would facilitate transmission of information, as was the need of those times. The technology used by Internet also has an essentially similar design philosophy, though much more advanced. The system of nodes as intermediate transfer points for the complex networks of the telegraph system, similarly relate to the modern Internet connectivity. Another factor common to both technologies is the slowdown due to information overload. Development phase: The rise and spread of the population to far flung areas, and an increase in business and industrial activity resulted in the development of efficient transport systems such as railways. ... The governments utilized this innovation for better control of military and political matters, whereas the businesses could covert larger and larger geographical areas into one marketplace. In both cases, the subsequent entrants in the customer base were individuals, who brought along with them good and bad impact of human issues. Hacking or disruptive activities and misinformation about the operational capabilities are the common negative aspects about the social impact. On the positive side, personal issues like online chatting, romance and love over the wires, and even conclusion of marriage contracts are the common features of the personal applications of both, the telegraph and the Internet. Impact of the telegraph on New Journalism: The meaning of New Journalism: The term 'New journalism' as it is understood today, was codified by Tom Wolfe in a collection of journalism articles he published in 1973. Though it is not fiction, and it maintains elements of reporting, including strict adherence to factual accuracy, New Journalism often brings some features not originally found in news papers, but rather in magazines. The features identified by Wolfe are: elements of story telling, dialogue in full, first person point of view, and recording every day details. In effect, New Journalism differs from traditional journalism, by accommodating the element of entertainment in the original factual content. The influence of the telegraph: The origins of this shift towards New Journalism can be traced back to the invention and adoption of the electric telegraph in the nineteenth century. During that period, great changes were taking place in the society. The telegraph was instrumental in changing the