Media and Communications

Over thousands of years, humans have developed highly sophisticated ways of communicating with each other, firstly with the emergence of spoken language and, subsequently, with the formation of the world’s first writing systems. With time, human populations swelled dramatically and, as a result, forms of mass communication became more and more important. The invention of the printing press in the fifteenth century proved transformational, increasing the speed and scale at which ideas and stories could be conveyed. In turn, this paved the way for the creation of other forms of media, such as newspapers, radio, television and, more recently, the internet. Such innovations continue to revolutionise the ways in which we conduct our daily lives. Accordingly, the theme of “Media and Communications” remains key to understanding some of the most significant changes and developments in global history.

Many of the collections at BOA relate to the theme of “Media and Communications”, in a variety of different historical periods and geographical areas. For example, they trace the origins of transnational news coverage; document the rise and dissemination of political ideologies such as fascism, communism, and liberalism; reveal the impact of the so-called “Ad revolution” of the 1960s; and highlight the evolution of social and cultural attitudes in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Crucially, they not only provide valuable insights into the history of journalism, but also the history of imperialism, race and ethnicity, war, and gender.