Electronic Media

More than any other book on the market, Electronic Media: Then, Now, and Later reflects the dramatic shift in media. Today, we live in a nonlinear, digital world in which traditional broadcasting plays a much diminished role. We no longer need to wait for over-the-air radio to hear new music or even favorite tunes. We have also become more adept than ever before at handling, editing, and storing media content for personal use, and content is provided by individuals, not just by media corporations. Electronic Media reflects this shift in focus. It's rooted in the notion that studying the past not only facilitates understanding the present but also helps in predicting the future. This book provides a link between the traditional world of broadcasting and the contemporary universe of digital electronic media, which offers individuals increasingly greater control over listening, viewing, and electronic interaction. As both emerging electronic media professionals and discriminating electronic media consumers, today's readers must know about these changes and understand how they will affect the future of the industry. The book is uniquely organized with a then/now/later structure, which integrates the past with the future: each chapter is organized chronologically into these sections: See It Then begins with the invention or inception of a topic-See It Now discusses current activities and developments-See It Later starts with the present and makes general predictions about what's to come. This feature is continued on the companion website, which will be frequently updated with information on developments in the media. Other features include: "Career Tracks" feature, in which experts in the field share the experiences that led them to their current jobs and gives tips for gett