The Bias of Communication

The Bias of Communication, first published in 1951, is a foundational work in media theory that explores how the materials and technologies of communication shape human thought, culture, and history. Innis argues that every medium carries a bias toward time or space, which in turn influences the structure of societies and empires.

The book redefines the study of media by showing that the form of communication is as consequential as its content. Through a series of incisive historical essays,...