The Impact of Technology and Technological Change on Communications, Culture and Public Policy Issues

In our information society, the old saying "knowledge is power" (Francis Bacon) should be rephrased: "knowledge, informatics and the transfer of information (communications and media) create power." Correspondingly, the substance and the structure of the "Fourth Estate" have widened greatly. Compared to other contributory factors of power, the media are the most difficult to control in the world, "shrunk" by the unexpectedly rapid development of communications technology.