Includes bibliographical references (p. 269-284) and index.

From the French Revolution to the global age, Chapman (journalism, U. of Lincoln, UK) provides an introduction to the key ideas underpinning media development. She compares shifts and influences in different countries, industries, and periods of history, arguing that the roots of today's global media lie in the late 18th and the 19th century. The text emphasizes continuity and decisive factors such as the social use of technology, the character of the institutions in which it's applied, and the political approach of the specific countries involved. Distributed in the US by Blackwell Publishers. Annotation #169;2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, In