Why Is It Important to Study the History of Mass Media?

Why is it important to study the history of mass media? If we don't understand that history, then we can't interrogate the deeper question. How different would that have been to someone a hundred years ago, 200 years ago, 500 years ago? And how does that change our relations with each other? That's a fundamental issue that affects everything - including the whole china war narrative and whatever is going on there. I think obviously we wouldn't be talking to day if it weren't for these incredible technologies that have enabled this new form of media arise. There are great things that can happen, but we have to be aware of the history so that we can go forward into it in