August E. Grant - Communication Technology Update and Fundamentals

Communication Technology Update and Fundamentals, now in its 17th edition, has set the standard as the single best resource for students and professionals looking to brush up on how communication technologies have developed, grown, and converged, as well as whats in store for the future.

The book covers the fundamentals of communication technology in five chapters that explain the communication technology ecosystem, its history, theories, structure, and regulations. Each chapter is written by experts who provide a snapshot of an individual field. The book also dives into the latest developments in electronic mass media, computers, consumer electronics, networking, and telephony. Together, these updates provide a broad overview of these industries and examine the role communication technologies play in our everyday lives. In addition to substantial updates to each chapter, the 17th edition includes the first-ever chapter on Artificial Intelligence; updated user data in every chapter; an overview of industry structure, including recent and proposed mergers and acquisitions; and sidebars exploring sustainability and relevance of each technology to Gen Z.

Communication Technology Update and Fundamentals continues to be the industry-leading resource for both students and professionals seeking to understand how communication technologies have developed and where they are headed.

Dr. August E. (Augie) Grant is J. Rion McKissick Professor of Journalism and Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence at the University of South Carolina. Grant is a technology futurist who specializes in research on new media technologies and consumer behavior. His teaching and research combine the study of traditional and emerging media, with emphases on media management, organizational structure, integrated communication, and consumer behavior. Hes been editor of Communication Technology Update and Fundamentals since 1992. His work in media convergence includes founding and serving for five years as Executive Editor of The Convergence Newsletter, chairing twelve national conferences on convergent journalism since 2002, and directing the Newsplex Summer Seminar program to train academics in convergent journalism.

Jennifer H. Meadows is Professor in the Department of Media Arts, Design, and Technology at California State University, Chico. Her teaching and research integrate practical and theoretical concerns related to television production, virtual reality, digital signage, the relationships between media and users, and changing media behavior in the new media marketplace. She has been working on the Communication Technology Update and Fundamentals since 1995 and has been co-editor since 1998.

Technology Futures, Inc. (TFI) provides top-quality custom studies and technology forecasts on key trends in communications, artificial intelligence, and other high-tech fields. Founded in 1978, TFIs specialties include technology forecasting, valuation, innovation, and business leadership. TFI brings to the table a futures focus, in-depth experience, a wide range of proven forecasting and analytic methods, and an excellent track-record of making valuable forecasts over several decades. www.tfi.com.

Editors:

August E. Grant

Jennifer H. Meadows

Technology Futures, Inc.

Production & Graphics Editor:

Helen Mary V. Marek

Publisher: Margaret Farrelly

Editorial Assistant: Priscille Biehlmann

Production Editor: Alfred Symons

Seventeenth edition published 2021

by Routledge

52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017

and by Routledge

2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN

Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business

2020 Taylor & Francis

The right of August Grant and Jennifer Meadows to be identified as the authors of the editorial material, and of the authors for their individual chapters, has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.

Publishers note: This book has been prepared from camera-ready copy provided by the editors.

Typeset in Palatino Linotype by H. M.V. Marek, Technology Futures, Inc.

[First edition published by Technology Futures, Inc. 1992]

[Sixteenth edition published by Focal Press 2018]

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

A catalog record has been requested for this book

ISBN:9780367420130 (hbk)

ISBN:9780367420161 (pbk)

ISBN:9780367817398 (ebk)

Visit the Communication Technology Update and Fundamentals website: http://www.tfi.com/ctu/