| Innovations in computer technology, innovations in telecommunications technology, their convergence into informatics and their penetration into society has resulted in a paradigmatic shift from an industrial society, based on energy, to a post-industrial society, based on information (see Figure 1). There are, of course, still some King Canutes trying to stop the Third Wave, Marie Antoinettes saying "What revolution?", ostriches in a very vulnerable position. However, the revolution is over.
One clear indication that the revolution is over is that the popular press is beginning to talk about it. Indeed, the American Dialect Society voted "information superhighway" the term that most characterised 1993 (Smith 1993). Most editors, columnists and cartoonists have produced editorials, columns, cartoons on the subject. The Clinton Administration has declared the construction of this infrastructure a priority. Huge corporations are merging into even bigger ones as they jostle to gain strategic positions in the emerging new industry of creating and delivering electronic information on this highway. This industry is created by the convergence of the computer, print and image industries, as predicted by Nicholas Negroponte (Brand 1987, p. 10-11).
Focus now shifts from What's happening? to So what?. That is, we consider the implications of this shift for our various institutions. This paper explores some of the implications for broadcast education. It focuses, in turn, on the impact on broadcast, impact on education, and impact on broadcast education. |
