International media history

Former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt holds the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

A sweeping international history of mass communication should first take into account the great human ideals at the foundations of international law. These are best articulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and include the right to freedom of expression and press.  The history of the League of Nations and United Nations communications work begins here in the next part of this section on international media history.

Secondly, this international history of communications media should open an  understanding of world governing bodies and their special agencies, along with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the news and publishing organizations that serve the international community. (See excerpt from Ch. 12 of Revolutions in Communication).

In addition, it should survey each individual nation or region’s media history and address not only content and structural issues, but also take into account the biographical, social, political and technological aspects of media development over time. This is of course an interesting problem of scale, and were are only beginning to attempt it.

Finally, we need to explore the ways in which people have envisioned a universal communications system.  Among the often-stated goals for the “global village” of satellite and digital systems are: better understanding between people; universal education for all; technical assistance for the least developed nations; and a basis for ending hunger, poverty, environmental degradation and human exploitation.

International Media NGOs

International wire services

Print media

Electronic and digital media

Media history by region (this web site)