Noting that the introduction of Videotex into the United States might precipitate significant public policy choices, this paper argues for a systematic assessment of the new technology and presents a methodological framework for dealing with its social impact. It then discusses 12 preliminary public policy concerns: (1) economic barriers to entry,…

This essay argues that communication is at the intersection of four social changes that may in their effects add up to a third sociotechnological revolution. The four changes posited are: a historic shift in the character of infrastructures; a new emphasis on visual modes in the coding of images and ideas; a change in the nature of technology,…

The complex set of economic problems facing Black families can best be understood from a communication perspective. Corporate America historically has taken advantage of its access to information and use of communication media to control the economic conditions of Black families. Through research and communication technology Black families can…

Commenting on the trends toward the interlocking of emerging information societies and the growing interdependence of countries, this paper suggests the role that "informatics" (the rational and systematic use of information for planning and decision making) may play in the transition of societies into the information age. Two paradoxes…

The 45 papers that comprise this book view the current telecommunications revolution and its developments and effects from a wide range of perspectives. Specific topics discussed in the papers include the following: (1) the future of literature; (2) Brazil and the information societies of the next century; (3) the future of language; (4)…