ABSTRACT
With the perspective of history, we realize that many recent changes are not so earth-shaking as they are incremental; real, far-reaching communication changes are usually tied to changes not only in scientific knowledge but also in culture, marketplace, transportation, population, and many other elements. The field of radio and television has expanded far beyond commercial network broadcasting, that which we had called “the norm” since 1930. Academics and others have adopted the term electronic mass media to refer to this framework. Most devices and practices included under electronic mass media are actually new or supplementary uses to which the technology of radio and television have been put. To consumers, TV is TV, and it does not matter where the programming comes from or how it is delivered.
