MediaTech: Winston's Model and the History of Media Tech (W3-P5) Fa15

Winston's model explains how media technologies develop from ideas to diffusion.  The story begins at the bottom left of the figure and ends at the upper right of the figure.

According to Winston's model a new technology starts (1) as an idea based on science and then (2) develops into early prototypes.  As a technology develops it faces some social pressures ((3) does society see a need for it and (4) will powerful competitors or the government attempt to repress the technology?).  The technology will then (5) diffuse through a society and may (6) spin-off related technologies.

How does this theory help us understand how media technologies develop?  Does it help us understand the future of media technologies?


Source: Media Technology and Society: A History From the Telegrapph to the Internet




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MediaTech: Diffusion of Innovations and the History of Media Tech (W3-P4) Fa15

Rogers' Diffusion of Innovations
“the process by which an innovation is communicated through certain channels over time among the members of a social system.”(Rogers).

The graph above shows how people in a society over time adopt an innovation.

At first nobody had a TV in the U.S., but over time...


How does this theory help us understand how media technologies develop?  Does it help us understand the future of media technologies?


Source: Diffusion of Innovations, 5th Edition



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MediaTech: SCOT, Tech Determinism and the History of Media Tech (W3-P3) Fa15

Ev Rogers and I wrote a book chapter which, in part, explained the Social Construction of Technology and Technological Determinism theories.  We also tied the two theories together.


The chapter appeared in The Changing Conversation in America edited by Eadie and Nelson.



Ev and I wrote about Social Construction of Technology (SCOT) this way:

We said of Technological Determinism:

At the end of the chapter we included a diagram.

There is something missing in the figure.  It was included in the paper we submitted, but left out in the printing.  What is missing?

How do these theories help us understand how media technologies develop?  Do they help us understand the future of media technologies?




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