McLuhan, Marshall National Historic Person
Toronto, Ontario
Marshall McLuhan
© Expired; Credit: Louis Forsdale/Library and Archives Canada/PA-172801
Address :
96 St. Joseph Street, Toronto, Ontario
Recognition Statute:
Historic Sites and Monuments Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. H-4)
Designation Date:
2007-06-08
Life Date:
1911 to 1980
Other Name(s):
-
McLuhan, Marshall
(Designation Name)
Research Report Number:
2006-027
Importance:
Pioneer of media analysis, he provided the world with new insights and tools to help make sense of the electronic age
Plaque(s)
Existing plaque: Sullivan House 96 St. Joseph Street, Toronto, Ontario
A pioneer of media studies, this University of Toronto professor became famous in the 1960s for his provocative theories about the impact of print and electronic media on human perception and behaviour. Teaching literary criticism led him to the idea that meaning was shaped by the technology of communication. His innovative work probed the influence of the printed word on society, the effects of combining print and images in advertising, and the world-wide impact of radio and television. The concepts of the " global village" and "the medium is the message" made McLuhan one of the most celebrated scholars in the Western world.