The information industry first appeared with the development and utilization of computers to promote the production, circulation and application of information. At the earliest, people called computer industry, information processing industry and information media industry information industry. Later, some people classified information dissemination and reporting industry, information circulation industry and knowledge industry as information industry. It is generally believed that the information industry mainly includes the following parts:
1. Computer industry. From the birth of electron tube computers in the 1940s to the advent of VLSI computers today, an independent computer industry system has been formed, which plays an important role in the national economy.
2. Software industry. Generally speaking, it refers to industries that write programs for the effective use of computers, such as programming industry, database industry and information system development industry.
3. Information media industry (i.e. communication industry). Including telephone industry, telegraph industry, radio and television industry, digital communication industry, optical fiber communication industry, satellite communication industry and so on.
4. Information service industry. Including news reports and interviews, publishing industry, consulting industry, information industry and so on.
When the society has developed to the present stage, especially the popularization and wide application of computers, communication technology has developed rapidly, and computer and communication technology have infiltrated each other, forming a great development of computer networks, further promoting the rapid development of the information industry and making it an important pillar industry of the national economy.