History of Newspaper 1/26/15 10:03 PM What is Newspaper? • Portable, predictable, accessible, cost effective, etc. • A printed product containing news and printed daily or weekly • Industry in disarray thanks to new media Importance of Newspaper • NEWS- information (normally current) about an event that is gathered, processed, and disseminated to a significant number of people • NEWS MEDIA- multiple media with news o Deliver more in depth news First Newspaper • Gutenberg’s press made the Oxford Gazette possible • Publick Occurrences Both Foreign and Domestic o Was not published continually o Only one issue about the government • Boston News-Letter • Published by authority Interesting Sidebar • Common newspaper names: o Gazette: Venetian from “gazetta” a small coin o Courant: Holland for “corantos” an information broadsheet o Post: town criers would post a notice on doorposts What Makes a Newspaper? • Published (at least) weekly • Available (for a price) to all people • Print news of general interest • Readable by people of normal literacy • Timely • Stable over time Colonial Times • SEDITIOUS LIBEL LAWS- laws established in colonial America making it illegal to criticize the government• TRIAL OF JOHN PETER ZENGER- printed critical truths about the New York governor; court found that newspapers had inherent right to publish the truth • JAMES FRANKLIN’S PAPER- the New England Courant established the press as a watchdog • FIRST AMENDMENT- freedom of speech o The Stamp Act- taxed copy of paper o Fanned the flames of revolution o Federalist papers- essays that explained the new liberal government • LIMITATIONS: • News seldom up to date • Published infrequently • Slow to reach subscribers • Limited by existing technology Papers Evolve • Papers became more standardized • EDITORIAL PAGE- section of newspaper reserved for statements representing the opinion of the newspaper • HARD NEWS- stories about current events that have an impact on people’s lives • FEATURE NEWS- stories about human interest • PENNY PRESS- inexpensive [EX: “New York Sun” in 1930’s] • SENSATIONALISM- exaggeration for “wow” effect • BYLINE- line at beginning of story giving author information • INVERTED PYRAMID- packs importance into first paragraph The Civil War • Growing distress • Loved ones want to know about loved ones • The country at war-everyone involved • No one to compete with Technology • Paper becomes cheaper to make • Telegraph is invented• Railroad and steamboat growth • Photography Yellow Journalism • Competitive newspaper • A style of reporting characterized by unprecedented sensationalism Shaping Today • Curve of adoption • Auxiliary services • Changing patterns of ownership Auxiliary Services • WIRE SERVICE- national and worldwide news, bringing local news a daily flow of stories outside of community • FEATURE SYNDICATE- commercial groups that contract with the publishers that provide features of today Change of Patterns of Ownership • CHAINS- same company own several newspapers (or within one medium) • Potential problems: o absentee=little commitment o corporations committed to watchdog o conglomerates are designed to make
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