1. The Telegraph: Old media technology as conceptual analogue for new media

2. Definitions Telegraph - A communications system that transmits and receives simple unmodulated electric impulses, especially one in which the transmission and reception stations are directly connected by wires Telegraph - A communications system that transmits and receives simple unmodulated electric impulses, especially one in which the transmission and reception stations are directly connected by wires Telegraphy (from the Greek words tele = far and graphein = write) is the long-distance transmission of written messages without physical transport of letters, originally over wire. Telegraphy (from the Greek words tele = far and graphein = write) is the long-distance transmission of written messages without physical transport of letters, originally over wire.

3. Video images of the telegraph Video images of the telegraph

4. Vital characteristics of the telegraph Requires a human medium: telegraph operators were employed per community to send/receive messages using Morse Code Operators sometimes had personal conversations, although they did not know which station a particular message came from

5. A brief history of the telegraph Introduced in the 1840s Introduced in the 1840s The first telegram: The first telegram: Samuel Morse – What hath God wrought? Samuel Morse – What hath God wrought? Highly commercial technology – quickly found many industrial uses Highly commercial technology – quickly found many industrial uses Western Union eventually gained a monopoly over the technology Western Union eventually gained a monopoly over the technology Labor played important influence over the industry, however, because of the need for a human medium to operate the telegraph (operator had to know Morse Code) Labor played important influence over the industry, however, because of the need for a human medium to operate the telegraph (operator had to know Morse Code)

6. …brief history of the telegraph, cont… Industry sought to automate telegraphy – remove the human element (did not actually happen until World War I) Industry sought to automate telegraphy – remove the human element (did not actually happen until World War I) Finally, on January 27, 2006, Western Union finally discontinued all telegram and commercial messaging services. Finally, on January 27, 2006, Western Union finally discontinued all telegram and commercial messaging services.

7. …brief history of the telegraph, cont… Until telegraph could be automated, companies like Western Union sought to control the operator as much as possible Until telegraph could be automated, companies like Western Union sought to control the operator as much as possible Sign of the times: women favored as operators as they were seen as more amenable to control Sign of the times: women favored as operators as they were seen as more amenable to control Women were paid less, took over jobs of men Women were paid less, took over jobs of men Men bitter, stories came out that attempted to undermine the feminization of the telegraph industry Men bitter, stories came out that attempted to undermine the feminization of the telegraph industry

8. Telegraphic Fiction Late nineteenth century – the telegraph is now 30 or so years old Late nineteenth century – the telegraph is now 30 or so years old Telegraphic fictions were dramatic stories that can be viewed as an advanced use of a maturing technology (people conceived of a technology in new, unprecedented ways) Telegraphic fictions were dramatic stories that can be viewed as an advanced use of a maturing technology (people conceived of a technology in new, unprecedented ways) Example: Wives for Two; or, Joes Little Joke Example: Wives for Two; or, Joes Little Joke Places a new media form into the classic story of a love triangle – the new media gives it a twist, it changes the story: identity manipulation Places a new media form into the classic story of a love triangle – the new media gives it a twist, it changes the story: identity manipulation Do you see some correlation here with current new media forms? Do you see some correlation here with current new media forms?

9. Characteristics of Telegraph/Internet Text-based interaction offers a release from bodily constraints (you do not have to be identified with what you say, i.e. anonymity) Text-based interaction offers a release from bodily constraints (you do not have to be identified with what you say, i.e. anonymity) Telegraph as an emancipatory arena: possible to experiment with selfhood Telegraph as an emancipatory arena: possible to experiment with selfhood People can Communicate mind to mind. There is no race, no genders, no age…, no infirmities – only minds People can Communicate mind to mind. There is no race, no genders, no age…, no infirmities – only minds

10. Significance of the telegraph Study of the telegraph has been very limited Study of the telegraph has been very limited Was the first form of electronic communication technology Was the first form of electronic communication technology Before this: smoke signals, line-of-sight telegraphs Before this: smoke signals, line-of-sight telegraphs The first great American monopoly, Western Union, dominated use of the telegraph The first great American monopoly, Western Union, dominated use of the telegraph As McLuhan suggested in Gutenberg Galaxy, telegraph brought changes in nature of language, knowledge, and awareness As McLuhan suggested in Gutenberg Galaxy, telegraph brought changes in nature of language, knowledge, and awareness The telegraph is a prime example of old media The telegraph is a prime example of old media

11. Important characteristics of the telegraph The first media to separate message sending from transportation The first media to separate message sending from transportation Carey: Telegraph freed communication from the constraints of geography Carey: Telegraph freed communication from the constraints of geography Monetary expense and tediousness of creating message: Forced communicators to find ways to send messages in fewer words Monetary expense and tediousness of creating message: Forced communicators to find ways to send messages in fewer words Hemingway actually liked the restrictiveness of the medium; said his writing was influenced by his use of the telegraph Hemingway actually liked the restrictiveness of the medium; said his writing was influenced by his use of the telegraph

12. Dystopic views Reverend Ezra S. Gannet: said that electricity was the swift winged messenger of destruction and the vital energy of material creation Reverend Ezra S. Gannet: said that electricity was the swift winged messenger of destruction and the vital energy of material creation As a technology, the telegraph transformed news into more of a commodity, less of a pure cultural product it once was (objects lose uniqueness) As a technology, the telegraph transformed news into more of a commodity, less of a pure cultural product it once was (objects lose uniqueness) Marxs notion of commodity fetishism (the cheapening of material goods and services) was born largely out of technologies like the telegraph Marxs notion of commodity fetishism (the cheapening of material goods and services) was born largely out of technologies like the telegraph

13. Utopic views The presumed annihilation of time and space that some saw could bind together a country in civil war The presumed annihilation of time and space that some saw could bind together a country in civil war Samuel Morse Samuel Morse It would not be long ere the whole surface of this country would be channeled for those nerves which are to diffuse with the speed of thought, a knowledge of all that is occurring throughout the land; making in fact one neighborhood of the whole country. It would not be long ere the whole surface of this country would be channeled for those nerves which are to diffuse with the speed of thought, a knowledge of all that is occurring throughout the land; making in fact one neighborhood of the whole country. With each new technology, dystopic and utopic perspectives always come out With each new technology, dystopic and utopic perspectives always come out

14. How the telegraph changed journalism Telegraph fundamentally changed the news: journalism went from partisan to objective as result of telegraph Telegraph fundamentally changed the news: journalism went from partisan to objective as result of telegraph Why? Why? Made prose leaner, unadorned, with less detail and analysis Made prose leaner, unadorned, with less detail and analysis However, much more news of this kind was now being disseminated However, much more news of this kind was now being disseminated News judgment routinized, organization of newsroom became more factory-like News judgment routinized, organization of newsroom became more factory-like

15. Essential impact of telegraph on society Telegraph, like all major communication mediums, primarily had a profound effect on commerce, government, and the military Telegraph, like all major communication mediums, primarily had a profound effect on commerce, government, and the military Critical instrument in evening out markets across space: prices across the US became more uniform (geography now irrelevant) Critical instrument in evening out markets across space: prices across the US became more uniform (geography now irrelevant)

16. Telegraph as Determiner of time zones Railroad, business, increased irrelevance of geography created need for uniformity in time Railroad, business, increased irrelevance of geography created need for uniformity in time US (Charles Dowd) developed the system of time zones US (Charles Dowd) developed the system of time zones Standard times offended, angered people Standard times offended, angered people Carey: time zones established because of the technological power of the telegraph Carey: time zones established because of the technological power of the telegraph

17. World Time Zones (by color) (initiated November 18, 1883)

18. Technological determinism? Should we use a transmission model absolutely to understand the telegraph as a direct determiner of the use of time zones? Should we use a transmission model absolutely to understand the telegraph as a direct determiner of the use of time zones? How can we look at this from a cultural perspective? How can we look at this from a cultural perspective?

19. I wouldnt be able to get by without X… (my computer, my TV, my cell phone, etc…) I wouldnt be able to get by without X… (my computer, my TV, my cell phone, etc…) If any one of these things had never been invented, would society be slightly different today? If any one of these things had never been invented, would society be slightly different today?