New introduction by Paul
Heyer and David Crowley
One of the most influential
books ever published in Canada, The Bias of Communication has played a major part in
reshaping our understanding of what constitutes history. It is a collection of essays by
one of Canada's greatest historians, on a subject that opened broad new avenues of thought
on the role of media in the creation of history. Marshall McLuhan, deeply influenced by
these essays, led North America to a new awareness of the role of media in contemporary
culture. The works of Harold Innis are seminal in the study of Canadian history; the
essays in this volume continue to generate intense debate among historians, communications
scholars, and media theorists.
This new edition includes a
thoughtful introduction by two scholars who outline the career of Innis and the
development of his ideas. They go on to elucidate the grand themes of the essays: a
communicational approach to history, and a critical reflection on the situation of culture
and technology in recent times. They identify in the essays all the concepts associated
with Innis's communications work: medium, bias, monopoly of knowledge, empire, and
especially the oral tradition. Finally, they assess the influence of the book on the study
of communications theory and Canadian history.
Paul Heyer is a professor in
the Department of Communication, Simon Fraser University. David Crowley is a professor in
the Graduate Department in Communications, McGill University.
226 pages