Effective Media Communications In a Technologically Advanced Society Es

Effective Media Communications In a Technologically Advanced Society The first appointment of an individual to a position similar to that of today's local government manager occurred in 1908 in Staunton, Virginia, where a â€Å"general manager† was employed to oversee the administrative functions of the municipality (http://www.icma.org ). In 1908, technology in the United States was thought to be visionary. Cameras were available to take photos. Newspapers were read across the country. Magazines were coming of age. Newspapers challenged local leaders daily. From the smallest communities to large metropolitan communities, newspapers competed for the news of the day. Reporters put pressure on local leaders as they covered national and local politics. Newspapers were the main resource for communicating with the public. Eastman’s marketing of his Kodak camera in 1888 opened a new era. Thomas Edison’s Kinetoscope of 1889 used Eastman film to produce a 50-foot peep show and by 1896 his Vitascope was used for the first public showing in the U.S. theater of a moving picture show (Emery 191). From 1915-1925, radios also became another venue for politicians and leaders to be put in the public spotlight. Governmental leaders might have believed they were under intense media scrutiny with the daily questioning from newspaper and magazine reporters. These leaders had it easy when compared to the mediums used today by the modern media. City and county managers have access to the highest level of technology ever available in the history of mankind. These technologies can be used to better communication with the public. In fact, our technologically advanced society is going to force no... ...c Journalism. The Pew Center for Civic Journalism. www.pewcenter.org Emery, Michael. The Press and America (Prentice Hall: Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1992) p. 191. Finberg, Howard I. Editor and Publisher. We Need Multimedia, Instant Publishing Dec. 13, 2001 International City/County Management Association Website. www.icma.org. Insiders Guide to Using Information in Government, Technology Area; Center for Technology in Government. http://www.ctg.albany.edu/guides/usinginfo/Technology/technology.htm Is Your Local Government Plugged In? Highlights of the Electronic Government 2000 Survey Conducted by the International City/County Management Association (revised 3/7/01). www.icma.org. Yudof, Mark G., When Government Speaks: Politics, Law, and Government Expression in America (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1983) p. 16.