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

The Telegraph:The Telegraph:

Old media technology as Old media technology as conceptual analogue for new conceptual analogue for new

mediamedia

DefinitionsDefinitions

TelegraphTelegraph - A communications system that - A communications system that transmits and receives simple unmodulated transmits and receives simple unmodulated electric impulses, especially one in which the electric impulses, especially one in which the transmission and reception stations are directly transmission and reception stations are directly connected by wiresconnected by wires

TelegraphyTelegraphy (from the Greek words (from the Greek words teletele = far = far and and grapheingraphein = write) is the long-distance = write) is the long-distance transmission of written messages without transmission of written messages without physical transport of letters, originally over wire. physical transport of letters, originally over wire.

Video images of the telegraVideo images of the telegraphph

Vital characteristics of Vital characteristics of the telegraphthe 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

A brief history of the telegraphA brief history of the telegraph Introduced in the 1840sIntroduced in the 1840s The first telegram: The first telegram:

Samuel Morse – Samuel Morse – “What hath God wrought?”“What hath God wrought?”

Highly commercial technology – quickly found many industrial Highly commercial technology – quickly found many industrial usesuses

Western Union eventually gained a monopoly over the technologyWestern Union eventually gained a monopoly over the technology Labor played important influence over the industry, however, Labor played important influence over the industry, however,

because of the need for a human medium to operate the telegraph because of the need for a human medium to operate the telegraph (operator had to know Morse Code)(operator had to know Morse Code)

……brief history of the telegraph, cont…brief history of the telegraph, cont…

Industry sought to automate telegraphy – Industry sought to automate telegraphy – remove the human element (did not remove the human element (did not actually happen until World War I)actually happen until World War I)

Finally, on January 27, 2006, Western Finally, on January 27, 2006, Western Union finally discontinued all telegram and Union finally discontinued all telegram and commercial messaging services.commercial messaging services.

……brief history of the telegraph, cont…brief history of the telegraph, cont…

Until telegraph could be automated, Until telegraph could be automated, companies like Western Union sought to companies like Western Union sought to control the operator as much as possiblecontrol the operator as much as possibleSign of the times: women favored as Sign of the times: women favored as

operators as they were seen as more operators as they were seen as more amenable to controlamenable to control

Women were paid less, took over jobs of menWomen were paid less, took over jobs of menMen bitter, stories came out that attempted to Men bitter, stories came out that attempted to

undermine the feminization of the telegraph undermine the feminization of the telegraph industryindustry

““Telegraphic Fiction”Telegraphic Fiction” Late nineteenth century – the telegraph is now 30 or so Late nineteenth century – the telegraph is now 30 or so

years oldyears old Telegraphic fictions were dramatic stories that can be Telegraphic fictions were dramatic stories that can be

viewed as an advanced use of a maturing technology viewed as an advanced use of a maturing technology (people conceived of a technology in new, (people conceived of a technology in new, unprecedented ways)unprecedented ways)

Example: “Wives for Two; or, Joe’s Little Joke”Example: “Wives for Two; or, Joe’s Little Joke” Places a new media form into the classic story of a love triangle 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 – the new media gives it a twist, it changes the story: identity manipulationmanipulation

Do you see some correlation here with current new Do you see some correlation here with current new media forms?media forms?

Characteristics of Characteristics of Telegraph/InternetTelegraph/Internet

Text-based interaction offers a release Text-based interaction offers a release from bodily constraints (you do not have to from bodily constraints (you do not have to be identified with what you say, i.e. be identified with what you say, i.e. anonymity)anonymity)Telegraph as an “emancipatory” arena: Telegraph as an “emancipatory” arena:

possible to experiment with selfhoodpossible to experiment with selfhoodPeople can “Communicate mind to mind.” People can “Communicate mind to mind.”

There is no race, no genders, no age…, no There is no race, no genders, no age…, no infirmities – only mindsinfirmities – only minds

Significance of the telegraphSignificance of the telegraph

Study of the telegraph has been very limitedStudy of the telegraph has been very limited Was the first form of electronic communication Was the first form of electronic communication

technologytechnology Before this: smoke signals, line-of-sight telegraphsBefore this: smoke signals, line-of-sight telegraphs

The first great American monopoly, Western The first great American monopoly, Western Union, dominated use of the telegraphUnion, dominated use of the telegraph

As McLuhan suggested in “Gutenberg Galaxy,” As McLuhan suggested in “Gutenberg Galaxy,” telegraph brought changes in nature of telegraph brought changes in nature of language, knowledge, and awarenesslanguage, knowledge, and awareness The telegraph is a prime example of “old media”The telegraph is a prime example of “old media”

Important characteristics Important characteristics of the telegraphof the telegraph

The first media to separate message sending The first media to separate message sending from transportationfrom transportation

Carey: “Telegraph freed communication from the Carey: “Telegraph freed communication from the constraints of geography”constraints of geography”

Monetary expense and tediousness of creating Monetary expense and tediousness of creating message: Forced communicators to find ways to message: Forced communicators to find ways to send messages in fewer wordssend messages in fewer words Hemingway actually liked the restrictiveness of the Hemingway actually liked the restrictiveness of the

medium; said his writing was influenced by his use of medium; said his writing was influenced by his use of the telegraph the telegraph

Dystopic viewsDystopic views

Reverend Ezra S. Gannet: said that electricity was Reverend Ezra S. Gannet: said that electricity was “the swift winged messenger of destruction” and “the swift winged messenger of destruction” and the “vital energy of material creation”the “vital energy of material creation”

As a technology, the telegraph transformed news As a technology, the telegraph transformed news into more of a commodity, less of a pure cultural into more of a commodity, less of a pure cultural product it once was (objects lose uniqueness)product it once was (objects lose uniqueness)

Marx’s notion of commodity fetishism (the Marx’s notion of commodity fetishism (the “cheapening” of material goods and services) was “cheapening” of material goods and services) was born largely out of technologies like the telegraphborn largely out of technologies like the telegraph

Utopic viewsUtopic views

The presumed “annihilation of time and space” The presumed “annihilation of time and space” that some saw could bind together a country in that some saw could bind together a country in civil warcivil war

Samuel MorseSamuel Morse ““It would not be long ere the whole surface of this It would not be long ere the whole surface of this

country would be channeled for those nerves which country would be channeled for those nerves which are to diffuse with the speed of thought, a knowledge are to diffuse with the speed of thought, a knowledge of all that is occurring throughout the land; making in of all that is occurring throughout the land; making in fact one neighborhood of the whole country.”fact one neighborhood of the whole country.”

With each new technology, dystopic and utopic With each new technology, dystopic and utopic perspectives always come outperspectives always come out

How the telegraph How the telegraph changed journalismchanged journalism

Telegraph fundamentally changed the news: Telegraph fundamentally changed the news: journalism went from partisan to “objective” as journalism went from partisan to “objective” as result of telegraphresult of telegraph Why?Why?

Made prose leaner, unadorned, with less detail Made prose leaner, unadorned, with less detail and analysisand analysis

However, much more news of this kind was now However, much more news of this kind was now being disseminatedbeing disseminated News judgment routinized, organization of newsroom News judgment routinized, organization of newsroom

became more factory-likebecame more factory-like

Essential impact of Essential impact of telegraph on societytelegraph on society

Telegraph, like all major communication Telegraph, like all major communication mediums, primarily had a profound effect mediums, primarily had a profound effect on commerce, government, and the on commerce, government, and the militarymilitary

Critical instrument in evening out markets Critical instrument in evening out markets across space: prices across the US across space: prices across the US became more uniform (geography now became more uniform (geography now irrelevant)irrelevant)

Telegraph as Determiner Telegraph as Determiner of time zonesof time zones

Railroad, business, increased irrelevance Railroad, business, increased irrelevance of geography created need for uniformity of geography created need for uniformity in timein time

US (Charles Dowd) developed the system US (Charles Dowd) developed the system of time zonesof time zonesStandard times offended, angered peopleStandard times offended, angered people

Carey: time zones established “because of Carey: time zones established “because of the technological power of the telegraph”the technological power of the telegraph”

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

Technological determinism?Technological determinism?

Should we use a transmission model Should we use a transmission model absolutely to understand the telegraph as absolutely to understand the telegraph as a direct determiner of the use of time a direct determiner of the use of time zones?zones?

How can we look at this from a cultural How can we look at this from a cultural perspective?perspective?

I wouldn’t be able to get by without “X”… I wouldn’t be able to get by without “X”… (my computer, my TV, my cell phone, (my computer, my TV, my cell phone, etc…)etc…) If any one of these things had never been If any one of these things had never been

invented, would society be slightly different invented, would society be slightly different today?today?