IMAGE: The Australian |
It would be insane for me to try avoiding talking about the royal wedding considering it took over the world today; I will admit that I did indeed watch it. So in the spirit of the royal wedding, I think it is important to talk about how large of an impact technology and the media had on this day throughout the world.
Let's take a look at how the marriage of the Queen and Prince Phillip would have been covered. Newspapers would have covered the event a little before, and there would have been a headline the day after. Of course there would have been some black and white grainy photos of the occasion throughout the day as well as during the ceremony, and it was broadcast live on BBC radio. But for the most part, people throughout the world would have to wait to read the papers or listen through word-of-mouth to hear about it; there was definitely not a feeling of inclusiveness.
IMAGE: Hulton Deutsch |
Now, let's fast forward to the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. This event has been headlines for months at every news outlet with daily articles and discussions. The "day of" coverage that occurred this morning had over 5 hours of live coverage on most news stations, helicopters and drones tracked every movement prior to and during the ceremony, and the actual ceremony itself was on a live broadcast on television as well as the internet The difference between the two and how far we have come from a technology standpoint is mind blowing.
IMAGE: Danny Lawson/Agence France-Presse |
Even if you had no interest in watching the royal wedding, there is no denying how much the media has impacted the world in terms of creating a worldwide connectivity that allows us all to feel included; citizens of almost every country were able to be a guest at an event that is thousand of miles away. These same advances have allowed us to "visit" countries, view keynote addresses at conferences, and even "sit" court-side at basketball events. Regardless of how much people want to condemn the media as well as fear new and exciting technology, they cannot deny the postives ways in which technology has advanced the world as well as found a way to bring people together while they are physically apart.
Are all technological advances for the betterment of society, and are all aspects of the media designed to bring us together? Of course not. However, days like today show us how far we have come from a technology standpoint...even if you decided not to get in on the royal wedding action.
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