BiasOfCommunication

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: Innis, H. (1951). The Bias of Communication. Toronto: University of Toronto press.

Innis seminal paper that created the field of media theory begins in the first paragraph of the paper he named his book after with this telling statement: "A medium of communication has an important influence on the dissemination of knowledge over space and over time and it becomes necessary to study its characteristics in order to appraise its influence in its cultural setting." (p.33) He argues that the properties of a medium will alter its emphasis along the space or time dimensions. For instance, a heavy medium like stone will limit the spatial extent of a medium since it will be difficult to carry, but its durability will extend the message in time. Since cultures are constructed through the relationships between its members, and those relationships are formed through communication, media that stand in for face-to-face language have a characterizing role on that society. The dominant medium's relative emphasis on time or space will alter the shape of that society across time and space. Thus, papyrus-based Ancient Egypt had an advantage over stone-based societies since its lightweight papyrus scrolls allowed the empire to extend its control over a wide area.

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