I feel as though where the radio gave the newspaper press a bit of a struggle, the internet brought it back to life. While it is not traditional print media, it is written media. Or, did online video content take down written media? Do people have the attention spans to read articles anymore? I think in the early days of blogging, the internet benefitted press.

Point 8 on this list is particularly interesting to me. I had to look up what "spot news" means, and it is defined as "the latest news, reported instantly." To take away spot news would be taking away the revolutionary quality of the radio. I can see why independently owned radio stations were not following this list. This benefitted those stations.

It seems that publishers and people in press really did not think that radio had journalistic integrity. As my notes before have mentioned, I think that this is a cycle that comes with new emerging technology. As the press did not see integrity in radio, mainstream media does not see integrity in social media. At the same time, I think there is validity in these ideas, and the reasons listed in the trade journal. Radio having a cost, it being under government control, ect.

What I've noticed is that these battles of technology are often about speed. Throughout history media is constantly fighting to be faster and more instant than their competitors. The radio was a game changer in this instantaneous form of delivering information. The amount of information and the speed in which we can acquire it continues to increase.

Rather than the radio being a threat to newspapers, they were able to work together in a symbiotic relationship. I think that today, radio has had to develop a symbiotic with the new emerging technologies. Radio can no longer be just audio, but there has to be video and podcast content made for stations in order to keep up with the times. It is interesting to see the cycle of how technology is constantly changing and how old technologies have to adjust.

Amateurs feeling as though they were a scapegoat for the navy's internal problems, and that they could not keep up is very interesting to me. I have often been told that the military is where technology originates form, and that they are the farthest ahead in development. However, in this instance it is both the navy and the average citizen who are both amateurs. I wonder if this gap between citizen and military has grown wider over time, or if that power has shifted to major tech companies.

This makes me think about the privilege of having new technologies. Amateurs were able to learn about news hours before the newspapers were able to share that news. Now, discovering news is instant, and I don't think there is a way for it to be anymore instant. We have reached a point where we know about what is going on, all the time, everywhere. This was the origin of that instant communication, for better or for worse.

The bottom of page 197 is very fascinating to me. The way in which people were able to be so innovative with the supplies they had, transforming old technologies into new ones. This is something I think we have lost in society. Rather than being creative and recycling materials from old technology, we purchase entirely new devices. We do this at a rapid rate, and technology today is designed to only last for a short period of time, and is not to be reused.

I find it very interesting how amateurs got ahold is this technology. Referencing page 194, the quote explaining that those who are "befuddled by this machinery" is a clown and the one who "made technology his slave" seems more relevant than ever. The ability to use technology to it's fullest capacity is very powerful. For example I think of taking advantage of AI. I think that you can get good at using AI, and you can be bad at using it.

The way that this introduction is written is really well done, and highlights the "romantic" and "magical" beginnings of intercontinental communication. Now, it is a normal part of life, but at the time it really must have felt like something almost supernatural. It's also interesting to think about how this new technology in a time where the common public did not have access to it yet. I wonder if these early adopters understood the power they had with what they had created, and how it would impact society on the future. Were they thinking ahead?

This really goes to show the importance of studying the history of electronic media and technology. It's profound effect on war is something that I believe should be more emphasized in K-12 history education. Beyond traditional weapons such as a gun, there should be more discussion on the weapon that was these new forms of communication, and the women that wielded them.

This leaves me curious about the state of female workers in the military. I know progress has been made for women's rights in general, but I would like to know more about the experience of a female in the military in 2025. Does this history of women fighting for their respect through hard work show in the military environment today? Do women in the military feel respected by their male counterparts?

Through the story of the telephone operators of Meuse-Argonne, I am gaining my own new respect for these women. The hours and hours of work, which is not usually acknowledged in your average history class. It has me thinking about these unsung heroes like Grace Banker. While she was acknowledged by receiving a Distinguished Service Medal, I am surprised this reading is one of the first times I am hearing the name of a telephone operator from this time.

The role of female phone operators was absolutely essential in war. Communication plays such a major role, and therefore operators deserve the benefits as anyone else in any other role. Especially as the skill of being bilingual comes into play. These workers deserved to be uniformed. I also noticed the use of the word "girls" rather than "women" in publications. While it may not seem like a big deal, language makes a huge difference.

It's interesting that the United States was very behind in giving women the right to vote, yet were the world's first modern nation to enlist females. Women had to prove themselves as telephone operators and other jobs in order to gain respect. I find that this idea of women having to prove themselves in order to gain respect is a theme that persists even today. As this reading states, women could not only had to preform as good as men, but better to receive the same amount of credit.

I find this point about how expanded communication would lead people to commonalities and understanding being an unrealistic dream is a very relevant point in today's society. The systems put in place within our technologies divide us, such as algorithms, or lack of access to internet to marginalized groups, or lack of technology education in poverty stressed areas. In some ways, I'm sure widened communication has helped educate people on the experiences of others that they may have not interacted with otherwise. It's still not perfect, and divide still most definitely exists within technology.

Technologies like the telephone have been very present in music and literature. While this still does come up in music today, it's not in the same way as it was in the past. There is something more romantic about a telegram, letter, or even a call from a rotary phone. Much less romantic is a text from an iPhone. I think as we have surpassed the need for landlines and have entirely transitioned to mobile phones, there is a lack of genuine communication like the telegram. Perhaps at the time, telegrams did not feel genuine because it was a new emerging technology. We sometimes find "new" and to be "ingenuine."

This really makes me think about Telehealth and online health services in general. Through Telehealth, I am able to talk with my psychiatrist over Zoom which in extremely helpful to me because she is based back in my home state of Massachusetts. The ability to connect with medical professionals over long distances is huge for those who may have physical or mental disabilities that make it challenging to make the trip to their appointments as well.

It is fascinating the way in which the improvement of technology has pressured us to become more aware of time, and how it has perpetuated the capitalistic mindset that the top of the food chain wants us to have. I wonder how as technology progresses, will we reach a threshold in which we simply cannot move any faster? I think in some ways we have reached that point, with many experiencing burn out.

I never really considered how these new technologies, like the telegraph, would alter the perception of time. Like how we say, "I live 45 minutes away from Ambler," rather than saying "20 miles." We base so much of our lives around time, so I can imagine how much of a major shift this caused to the relationship between time and communication.

When I'm thinking about how this applies to my career goals, I think about the impact of media and how it in itself shapes history. It is important for people in the media industry to understand the context of whatever they may be creating. This is why projects will have educational or historical consultants to ensure that the story is being told accurately. I also think that looking at things with the mindset of a historian is a good tool in general.

This is such a powerful aspect of history. It reminds us that change is possible, and that things that once seemed like they could never happen did. This is a catalyst for activism, and hope in times where change is needed. History reminds us that in order for progress to be made in society, there must be organizing, action, and a collective effort. History reminds us to never settle and to always challenge the current state of the world around us.

I think that the American school system is a major example of this. I'm not sure how elementary level education has changed since I was a child, but I remember being told entirely false stories, for example the story of Thanksgiving. It portrayed the relationship between Native Americans and Colonizers in an incorrect light in order to paint a certain picture of the "birth story of America." I remember reading a book about the true story of Thanksgiving years later, and being confused as to why they didn't tell us the full story in school. This goes to show how powerful history is and how it can reshape the tale of a nation and encourage nationalism.

I personally am incredibly fascinated by stories of individuals, more so than I am of general historical timelines and events. First hand accounts of history such as journals or letters are super interesting to me. These stories are very valuable, and are the history of actual lives and experiences. This is why I am sometimes obsessed with documenting things, and I love to take photos, videos, and write about the events I am experiencing.

I think now more than ever this is very true and a great point when talking about the importance of studying history. It is in times like these where it is crucial that we have an understanding of why our government functions in the way it does, and how we can participate and allow our voices to be heard. I think many people including myself wonder why things work a certain way in the U.S, as sometimes it feels absurd. History can help us uncover the answers to that and allow us to understand and be a part of these systems.