Author Description

As we enter the 21st Century, new communication technologies are being introduced at an astonishing rate. Making sense of these technologies is becoming more difficult. Communication Technology Update is the single source for the latest developments, trends, and issues in communication technology. Now in its fifth edition, Communication Technology Update has become an indispensable information resource for business, government, and academia. The latest edition of this review of the state-of-the-art in communication technologies includes a number of refinements to make the text more user-friendly. The book continues to provide the latest information on electronic mass media, computers, consumer electronics, satellites, and telephony. Information on similar technologies has been concentrated into a smaller number of chapters to make it easier to compare history, revenues, technical descriptions, and user information across technologies. The new edition also has a companion home page on the World Wide Web at http://www.tfi.com/ctu/ that will provide updated information as it is submitted by readers. Persons familiar with specific technologies will be invited to send periodic updates for the Web page. The Communication Technology Update Home Page also offers links to other Internet resources, as well as a listing of trade organizations and publications covering all areas of communication technology. Other additions to the text are a Statistical Abstract of Communication Technologies, providing year-by-year statistics on dozens of communication technologies, a new chapter on broadcast television, and a more complete glossary. August E. Grant is Associate Professor and Area Head of Communication Technology and Policy in the Department of Radio-Television-Film at the University of Texas at Austin..Dr. Grant is a broadcaster-turned-academic, with an interest in the evolution of mass media and their audiences. Specializing in audience behavior and