Marshall McLuhan published 'Understanding Media' in 1964, a groundbreaking work that introduced the concept that 'the medium is the message.' McLuhan analyzed how different communication technologies shape human perception and societal structures. His insights into media theory have had a lasting impact on the fields of communication, media studies, and cultural criticism, influencing how we understand the relationship between technology and society.

Marshall McLuhan's 'Understanding Media' influenced concrete poetry, digital literature, and the exploration of typography, sonic textures, and the materiality of the poetic text itself. Poets like bpNichol and E.E. Cummings experimented with form and structure, reflecting McLuhan's ideas on the relationship between media and meaning.