Tom Standage in his book Writing on the Wall traces the rise of social media. He rejects the idea of a new media and old media.. There was really old media up to 1833 followed by ‘old media.’ which began with Benjamin Day harnessing the power of old steam printing press. Finally new media began in 1993 with the public use of the web.According to him, really old media was similar in the way it functioned to the new media. Old media is an anamoly.

According to him, Martin Luther King was media pioneer. After Gutenberg had made mass printing possible, through his invention of the printing press, Luther made full use of the written communication to combat against the Pope of his time and his officials.

Another innovation came from the Arabs to Europe — the concept of coffee houses in the 17th century. They soon became the places of debate, often among strangers.

There are parallels between the past and present use of communication.Thomas Paine’s Common Sense for which 1000 copies were printed initially later saw a print run of 6000. It is like going viral.