History of Media

  • 618

    China: block printing/xylography (wood blocks)

    China: block printing/xylography (wood blocks)
    Had minimal impact on Chinese society at the time compared to the invention of the printing press in the West.
  • 1041

    China: cast tin letters

    China: cast tin letters
  • 1400

    Europe: block books for large audiences, hand-written books for elite

    Europe: block books for large audiences, hand-written books for elite
    Block book: short book up to 50 leaves, block printed, illustrations and text, aimed at popular audience.
  • 1450

    Europe: invention of the printing press

    Europe: invention of the printing press
    Loose cast letters... Gutenberg or Laurensz Coster van Haarlem?
  • 1473

    Dirk Martens returns to Aalst and starts a printing press

    Dirk Martens returns to Aalst and starts a printing press
    He published 50+ books by Erasmus
  • Strasbourg, Antwerp: Nieuwe Tydinghen

    Strasbourg, Antwerp: Nieuwe Tydinghen
    1605: Abraham Verhoeven starts printing news prints (every 10 days) 1620: Nieuwe Tyninghen becomes a monopoly in the Duchy of Brabant.
  • England: First English Newspaper, Oxford Gazette

    England: First English Newspaper, Oxford Gazette
    First English Newspapers
    1666: London Gazette
  • Industrial revolution: faster newspaper development

    Industrial revolution: faster newspaper development
    1750 onwards
  • Declaration of Independence: Freedom of Press

    Declaration of Independence: Freedom of Press
  • 1789 French Revolution

    1789 French Revolution
    A struggle to found new values based on the Enlightenment after divine right absolutism, freedom of the press, education.