Brief review of world trends in technology:
part 1. communication

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This chapter may be freely cited, provided proper citation is given.  See bottom for notice.


In this review, we describe technology trends, in this report focusing on communication technology trends . Communication reflects the potential for interactions within and among cultures, and thus can be seen as mechanisms of social change. TV, radio, newspapers, phones and the internet can make it possible for one society to know about another. If societies know something about other cultures, they can see what is possible for their own, or what to avoid.

In many respects, communication technology is a reflection of political change, and not just technological development. That is, the government can encourage or inhibit the growth of communication technology. In this report, we only discuss the technological change. Our summary reports is where we attempt to tie together the various trends.


I Summary


Overall
, there has been an increase in the potential for interaction within and among cultures. Especially among the less developed world, there has been large increases in TV, radio, newspaper, internet availability and usage.


However technology is still less developed among the less developed regions. For example, less than 10% of the population in Asia, Africa and the Middle East use the internet, while 70% in North America and 30% in Europe use the internet.

Similarly, phones are more commonly available in the Americas, Europe than they are in most of Africa and Asia.

 

Newspaper, Radio and TVs per 1,000 people.

Newspaper circulation per person has increased in less developed countries (LDCs) but decreased in more developed countries (MDCs). Newspaper circulation is still four times as high in more developed countries as it is in less developed countries.

Number of radio receivers per person has increased in both less developed and more developed countries. The rate of increase has been higher among less developed countries than it was among more developed countries. For LDCs , number of radio receivers was almost 3 times as high in 1997 as in 1970, while number of radio receivers had less than doubled in more developed countries over that time period. In 1997, number of radio receivers per person in MDCs was a little over 4 times as high as it was in LDCs.

Number of TV receivers per person increased in both less developed and more developed countries. The largest increase was in East Asia and Oceania, where TV receivers per 1,000 people grew from 3 in 1970 to 253 in 1997.

Table 1.
Newspaper, Radios and TVs per 1,000 inhabitant
  Daily Newspaper, Circulation per 1000 inhabitant
 
World
Less Developed
More Developed
1970
107
29
292
1980
111
37
363
1990
107
42
340
1997
96
60
226
  Number of radio receivers, per 1000 inhabitant
 
World
Less Developed
More Developed
1970
245
90
643
1980
312
120
880
1990
394
220
987
1997
418
245
1061
  Number of television receivers, per 1000 inhabitant
 
World
Less Developed
More Developed
1970
81
10
263
1980
127
27
424
1990
208
124
492
1997
240
157
548
Tables reproduced by permission from   http://www.uis.unesco.org/Pages/default.aspx  
Internet Users.
There has been a very strong increase in internet use from 1996 to 2002. Internet use increased by about 6 times in North America, by about 20 times in Europe and by about 30 times in Asia/Pacific. As a result of the very high growth in Europe and Asia/Pacific, internet use has become a world wide phenomena.

Table 2
Estimated internet users on line
(millions)
 
1996
1997
1998
2002
World.
45
100
 120-160
605.6
Internet users by location
North America
30
64
80
183
Europe
9
20
30
191
Asia/Pacific
6
14
24
187
Derived from How many on line surveys WERE FROM
http://www.nua.ie/surveys/index.cgi
(no longer available)
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II Detailed Analysis of Trends
A. Newspapers, radios and television
 
Newspaper circulation per person has increased in less developed countries (LDCs) but decreased in more developed countries (MDCs). The decline in circulation per 1,000 person in MDCs was matched by a decline in the number of dailies and most recently by a decline in total circulation. Newspaper circulation is still three times as high in more developed countries as it is in less developed countries.

Number of radio receivers per person has increased in both less developed and more developed countries. The rate of increase has been higher among less developed countries than it was among more developed countries. For LDCs , number of radio receivers was almost 3 times as high in 1997 as in 1970, while number of radio receivers less than doubled in MDCs.

Also, in 1997, the number of radio receivers per person in MDCs was a little over four times as high as it was in LDCs. In contrast, in 1970, the number of radio receivers per person in MDCs was a over six times as high as it was in LDCs.

Number of TV receivers per person increased in both less developed and more developed countries. The largest increase was in East Asia and Oceana, where TV receivers per 1,000 grew from 3 in 1970 to 253 in 1997. In 1997, there were more TVs in less developed countries, but because the population was much higher, there were fewer TVs per 1,000 persons.

Table 4
Daily Newspapers, and Radio and Television Receivers
  Daily newspapers:  number and circulation
Number of radio broadcasting receivers
Number of television receivers
  Number of Dailies Total Circulation (Millions) Circulation per 1,000 inhabitants
Total (Millions)
per 1,000 inhabitants
Total (Millions)
per 1,000 inhabitants
World
1970
7947
392
107
906
245
299
81 
1980
7847
491
111
1384
312
563 
 127
1990
8220
563
107
2075
394
 1092
 208
1997
8391
548
96
2432
418
 1396
 240
Developing Countries
1970
2681
75
29
240
90
 26
 10
1980
3359
122
37
398
120
 88
 27
1990
3991
170
42
895
220
 504
 124
1997
4419
272
60
1124
245
 720
 157
Developed Countries
1970
5266
316
292
666
643
 272
 263
1980
4488
370
363
986
880
 475
 424
1990
4229
393
340
1181
987
 588
 492
1997
3972
276
226
1308
1061
 675
 548
Source: Radio and TV- had been here http://www.uis.unesco.org/TEMPLATE/html/CultAndCom/Table_IV_S_3.html  
Newspapers -  had been here http://www.uis.unesco.org/TEMPLATE/html/CultAndCom/Table_IV_S_1.html   
Reproduced by permission


Table 5
Television Receivers per 1,000 inhabitants
Developing Countries and East Asia/Oceana
 
Developing 
Countries
East Asia and Oceania
Developing Countries 
excluding East Asia 
and Oceania
1970
10
3.3
15
1980
27
18
34
1990
124
207
66
1997
157
253
94
Source:  had been here http://www.uis.unesco.org/TEMPLATE/html/CultAndCom/Table_IV_S_3.html   
Developing countries and East Asia and Oceania Reproduced by permission
Estimated Population and Number of television receivers per 1,000 inhabitants for
Developing Countries excluding Eastern Asia and Oceania calculated by Dr. Shackman

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B. Internet Use

Strong growth: There has been a very strong increase in internet use from 1996 to 2004. From 1996 to 2002, internet use increased by about 6 times in North America, by about 20 times in Europe and by about 30 times in Asia/Pacific, and nearly by 30 times in Latin America.

Growth has been somewhat slower over the 2000-2004 period. In most of the world, the number of people using the internet has somewhat more than doubled. Growth continued to be strong in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean and the Middle East.

The internet has become a worldwide phenomena. In 1996, the internet was mainly used in the west (e.g., North America and Europe). However, as a result of the very high growth in Europe and Asia/Pacific, internet use has become a world wide phenomena.

Some areas still have low penetration.  Although the internet is now used all over the world, there are also regions where the majority of the population still does not use the internet. While, as mentioned above, growth is strong in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean and the Middle East, fewer than 10% of the population in these areas, overall, use the internet. Even in many countries with very high growth in internet use, penetration remains low.

Table 6
Estimated internet users on line
Millions
 
1996
1997
1998
2002
World.
45
100
 120-160
605.6
Internet users by location
North America
30
64
80
183
Europe
9
20
30
191
Asia/Pacific
6
14
24
187
Latin America
 *
1.3
4
33
Africa
 *
1
1
6
Middle East
 *
0.4
0.7
5
Derived from How many on line survey WERE FROM
http://www.nua.ie/surveys/index.cgi  and other data tables.
(no longer available)
* no data given.


Table 7
Estimated internet users on line
Percent distribution
 
1996
1997
1998
2002
World.(millions_of_users)
45
100
 120-160
605.6
Internet users by location
North America
66.7%
64.0%
57.0%
30.2%
Europe
20.0%
19.8%
21.8%
31.5%
Asia/Pacific
13.3%
14.0%
17.0%
30.9%
Latin America
 *
1.3%
3.0%
5.5%
Africa
 *
1.0%
0.8%
1.0%
Middle East
 *
0.4%
0.5%
0.8%
How many on line surveysWERE FROM
http://www.nua.ie/surveys/index.cgi  and other data tables.
(no longer available)
* no data given.


Table 8
Internet use and penetration

(data table, condensed, used by permission)
Region
Population
(millions)
2004
Internet use
(millions)
2000
Internet Use
(millions)
2004
Growth
2000-2004
Penetration
2004
World
6,453
359
786
119%
12%
Africa
906
5
12
171%
1%
Asia
3,655
114
244
113%
7%
Europe
729
101
218
116%
30%
Middle East
260
5
17
219%
7%
North America
327
108
228
111%
70%
Latin America
Caribbea

546

18

51

183%

9%
Oceana
32
7
16
110%
50%
Internet World Stats,   http://www.internetworldstats.com/  
Their world table is at   http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm  



Countries in Africa with highest penetration rates in 2004

10-20%
Mauritius, Reunion, Sao Tome and Principe, Saychelles

3-7%
Botswana, Cape Verde, Egypt, Namibia, South Africa, Togo, Tunisia, Zimbabwe

Countries in Africa with highest growth in internet use, 2000-2004
Growth 10 times or more

Algeria, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea-Bissau, Libya, Sudan, Zimbabwe

These countries with high growth in internet use had fewer than 4% of their population using the internet in 2004 and several (Chad, the two Congos, Sudan) had fewer than 1% of their population on the internet.
Internet World Stats,   http://www.internetworldstats.com/  
Their world table is at   http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm  

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C. Telephone Use

Wide variation in phone availability:  In Europe, Oceana, and the Americas, phone lines are commonly available. In Africa and Asia, overall, phone lines are generally not very available.

In Africa, phone line availability varied from, in 2003, a high of more than 20 per 100 people (Saychelles and Mauritius) to a low of 2 per 1,000 people or less (Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad, Niger). Not surprisingly, Saychelles and Mauritius also had high internet penetration.

In Asia, phone line availability varied from, in 2003, a high of more than 50 per 100 people (Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan) to a low of less than 1 per 100 people (Cambodia, Bangladesh, Myanmar).

The Americas varied from a low of fewer than 5 phone lines per 100 people (Haiti, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Honduras) to a high of 60 per 100 people (United States, Canada).

Growth in phone use: Africa, Asia, where phones were less commonly available, experienced strong growth.

However, the majority of growth in Africa was in Egypt. Excluding Egypt, there was only a 53% increase in the number of phone lines between 1996 and 2003.

Similarly, the majority of growth in Asia was in India and China. Excluding India and China, there was only a 32% increase in the number of phone lines between 1996 and 2003.

Table 9
Main phone lines


Main phone lines
(thousands)
Phone lines
(per 100 people)

1996
2003
perent
change
1996
2003
Africa
13,411
24,712
84.3%
1.9
3.0
    Africa excluding Egypt
10,387
15,976
53.8%


Americas  
  229,962
290,147
26.2%
29.6
34.1
Asia
207,090
493,050
 138.1%
6.2
13.6
   Asia excluding India and China
137,601
181,133 31.6%


Europe
274,524
326,546
18.9%
34.7
41.0
Oceana
11,141
12,889
15.7%
39.0
40.8
World
736,129
1,147,344
55.9%
13.0
18.8
from http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/statistics/
International Telecommunications Union
Main telephone lines, and subscribers per 100 people


AFRICA

Countries in Africa with highest growth in number of phone lines


Egypt (5.7 million)

500 to 900 thousand
Tunesia, South Africa, Sudan, Algeria

Countries in Africa that had declines in number of phone lines.

Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic

Countries in Africa with highest number of phone lines per 100 people in 2003

10 to 30 per 100 people
South Africa, Tunisia, Libya, Cape Verde, Saychelles, Mauritius
ASIA

Countries in Asia with highest growth in number of phone lines

China (200 million)
India (34 million)
Japan, Iran (7 to 9 million)

Countries in Asia that had declines in number of phone lines.

Armenia, Tajikistan

Countries in Asia with highest number of phone lines per 100 people in 2003

About 40 or more per 100 people
Macao, Israel, Singapore, Korea (Republic), Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan


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III Appendix

A. Data

Newspapers, and radios and television receivers

summary tables at:
Unesco Institute for Statistics,  http://www.uis.unesco.org/Pages/default.aspx  
click on Culture and Communication, then click on the 1999 Statistical Yearbook, as shown in
To view any of the Regional or Country tables from the 1999 Statistical Yearbook, click here.   
Then, Summary tables by region.
Daily newspapers: number and circulation
used to be at   http://www.uis.unesco.org/TEMPLATE/html/CultAndCom/Table_IV_S_1.html  
Radio and television receivers
used to be at    http://www.uis.unesco.org/TEMPLATE/html/CultAndCom/Table_IV_S_3.html     

Definitions from the glossary:

The statistics shown relate to all types of receivers for radio and television broadcasts to the general public, including those connected to a cable distribution system. Private sets installed in public places are also included as well as communal receivers.

Newspapers are periodic publications intended for the general public and mainly designed to be a primary source of written information on current events connected with public affairs, international questions, politics, etc. A newspaper thus defined and issued at least four times a week is considered to be a daily newspaper; those appearing three times a week or less frequently are considered as non-daily newspapers.

Despite the fact that, according to the 1985 Recommendation, the distinguishing feature between newspapers and periodicals is the content and not the periodicity, a few countries, including some demographically important ones, group any periodic publication under either dailies or non-dailies, simply according to the frequency of appearance.
 

Internet Use

We use data from two sources on internet use: NAU and Internet World Stat.

Most of the internet data was from NAU, but the data are no longer available. The sites where the data HAD BEEN is listed below. I'll look for other data.

NAU How Many On Line surveys,   http://www.nua.ie/surveys/index.cgi
including data from the following tables or pages.

How Many on line
http://www.nua.ie/surveys/how_many_online/index.html
Internet users as of September 2002
(retrieved May 7, 2003)

Internet Users by Location - 1998
http://www.nua.ie/surveys/analysis/graphs_charts/1998graphs/location.html
(percent of users by location)
http://www.nua.ie/surveys/how_many_online/world.html
(estimate of total for 1998)

1997 Internet Review
http://www.nua.ie/surveys/analysis/yearinreview/archives/1997_yearly_review.html

1996 Internet Review
http://www.nua.com/surveys/analysis/yearinreview/archives/1996_yearly_review.html

Internet Users by Geographic Location (showing 1995 data)
http://www.nua.com/surveys/analysis/graphs_charts/1995graphs/location.html
 


Internet World Stats internet use data are presented at Internet World Stats,   http://www.internetworldstats.com/   An International website featuring worldwide up to date Internet Usage Statistics and 2004 Population Data for over 233 countries and world regions. Their world table is available at   http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm  which also links to country data. 

 
Phone line availability

International Telecommunications Union, from their free data available at http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/statistics/
Main telephone lines, and subscribers per 100 people
 

Prepared by gene shackman, ya-lin liu and Xun Wang
First Copyright July 2004.  May be used provided proper citation is given.
Cite as
Shackman, Gene, Ya-Lin Liu and Xun Wang. 2004. Brief review of world trends in technology, part 1. communication.   Available at
http://gsociology.icaap.org/report/tech1sum.html
 

This report was prepared using Netscape. These tables were prepared using lotus 123.    At one time we also used Star Office, the Sun Microsystems office package.  StarOffice isn't offered by Sun anymore, but we got a copy from Twocows. We also used OpenOffice , the successor to StarOffice.

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last updated and validated 9/15/11