Today, the debate on the media and their impact on society, politics, and institutions is focused on the new media and the social networks. It very often comes down to a Manichean contrast between old media and new media, are the latter are usually placed on the wicked side. This is an oversimplification which overlooks an essential fact: once, the current old media were in their turn new media. When they appeared, they aroused the attacks of what at the time of their birth were the old media, the curiosity of real and potential ‘users’, the attention of political, economic, and religious institutions, intent on evaluating, combating, and/or exploiting their effects and potential. In short, the reflection about the new media deserves to be tackled from a long-term historical perspective.