Dead Media

We are living in a time of rapid technological innovation. It seems that new media are constantly being invented and integrated into society. However, this means that some media must be phased out. The Dead Media Project serves as a space where extinct media can be preserved so that progress can be tracked. After reviewing the examples of technologies from the past, I started to come to realize that there are two reasons why new inventions can become out of style. The first is that, even if they have exciting features, if they do not serve an effective additive purpose, it is possible that consumers will continue to rely on very primitave technologies. The second reason is that new inventions make the old ones obsolete.

For example, the Refrigerator mounted-Talking Note Pad was a reminder system that enabled users to record a twenty second message that could be replayed at any time. A red indicator light would blink if there were messages waiting to be listened too. However, this invention was no better than the normal pen and paper note taking system for a couple of reasons. First, in order to access the note, one had to actively engage in listening to it. Paper notes can be posted in eye sight and will remind the person even when they are not thinking about the task at hand. Secondly, the twenty second message was limiting, because you could only record one message at a time as opposed to paper methods that could accomodate as much information as neccessary. Although the talking note pad was a new innovation, media must serve a function as well as have an advancement of capabilities.

Even if an invention increases effectivity and the capabilities of other technologies in the same market, society is always innovating new ones that can take their place.  That is why technologies such as the teatrophone have become extinct, the market has become replaced by that of the radio and the television. The teatrophone enabled audiences interested in theatre and orchestra who didn't live in the city centers to hear the performances of the premier groups of the time. However, since the theatrophone only worked by fixed lines, they had to go to a specific storefront location equipped with teatrophone capabilities in order to experience this new media. With the invention of the radio and the television much later, audiences did not have to leave their homes to enjoy the same entertainment.