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JOURN 3000: Exam 1
Explanation of Origins |
Explanation of Origins |
structural explanation- cultural |
-Ideas, values, attitudes
-Why does the early American newspaper emerge as a quasi-political institution?
-Content: Political news, political essays
-Staff: Tied to/appointed by political factions, parties; Printing merchants
-Support: Political subsidies
-Audience: Voters to be persuaded |
structural explanation- material |
-Geography, technology, economy
-Why does the political press give way to the ‘Penny Press’ in the 1830s and following?
-Content: Stories on nitty-gritty of urban life; local, entertainment
-Staff: Entrepreneurs, information gatherers
-Support: Advertising
-Audience: Consumers, middle and working classes; mass circulation |
structural explanation- institutional |
-Institutions - government, church, school, family, business
-Why does broadcast journalism emerge in the US around World War II?
-Many radio stations in early 1920s initially owned by newspapers; many false starts
-Only brief news bulletins twice a day in 1930s
-Broadcast journalism begins earlier elsewhere |
Path dependence (institutional structure) |
-Exit costs
-Asymmetries of power
-Expectations
-This is why history matters |
Forerunners of newspapers |
Verse, letters, epistles, stories told at markets/fairs, balladeers, ringing of bells, manuscripts, block texts |
Publick Occurrences |
-Benjamin Harris
-September 25, 1690
-Contained foreign and domestic news
-Prophetic role--> record events to bear witness to God's providence
-Report intelligence useful to public
-Sort truth from lies
-Unlicensed so it was shut down |
New England Courant |
-James Franklin, 1721
-Adversarial role
-Entertain audience (literary content)
-Ben took over when James was in jail
-Silence Dogood column |
Colonial Era Press |
Pennsylvania Gazette, New England Courant, Boston News-Letter, Publick Occurrences
-Provide forum for exchange of ideas, disseminate info, challenge decisions of those in power, comment on God's will/public issues, entertain readers |
Benjamin Franklin |
-Silence Dogood
-Pennsylvania Gazette, 1729
-Entertaining essays
-Advertising business
-Government printing contracts
-Franklin set up other colonial printers |
Zenger case (1734-35) |
-William Cosby, governor of NY
-Zenger--> New York Weekly Journal, critical of Cosby
-Arrested for seditious libel
-Andrew Hamilton argues truth as a defense
-Trial does not change libel law
-Government backs down in face of public opinion
-Main Principle: Right to criticize officials a main pillar of press freedom |
Marketplace of ideas- libertarian concept |
-Truth naturally overcomes falsehood when they are allowed to compete
-Competing voices produce superior conclusions
-Voices should not be excluded from the marketplace, lest the truth be suppressed
-Libel is an exception |
Marketplace of ideas- Milton's conception |
-Defended free speech, opposed censorship
-Moral limits to marketplace of ideas--> no prior restraint, but subsequent action is ok
-Exclusion of some ideas because some people are susceptible to falsehoods |
Marketplace of ideas- Republicanism |
-Public opinion formed by virtuous leaders
-Newspapers as a town hall
-Freedom only good when social order is maintained by good citizens
-Press should promote truth |
Revolutionary Era Press |
Three factions: tories (loyalists), whigs (economic philosophy, no taxation without representation), patriots (promote revolution)
-Journalistic roles: promote exchange of ideas, public discussion, propagandize for revolutionary cause/mobilize readers |
Samuel Adams- patriots |
-Editor of Independent Advertiser
-Organized Committees of Correspondence in 1772 to cover meetings
-Sons of Liberty
-Published stories of British atrocities |
James Rivington, Tories |
-Owned bookstores, founded New York Gazetteer, etc.
-Presented opposing sides of political questions |
John Dickinson, Whig |
-"Letter from a Farmer in Pennsylvania"
-Established principles of the revolution
-No taxation without representation |
Tom Paine |
-Common Sense
-Championed revolutionary cause
-Argued against British rule
-Crisis Papers--> troops thoughts, rallied troops |
Early Partisan/Party Press |
-Agitator role: propagandize, attack opposition, mobilize
Federalists- strong federal government (James Madison, Alexander Hamilton)
-Gazette of the US is main paper (John Fenno)
-Patronage system for Fenno
Republicans- responsive government, full democratic participation (TJ)
-Philip Freneau- National Gazette |
Sedition Act |
-1798
-Signed by John Adams
-Crime to publish false writings against government
-Used against Republicans
-Expired at the end of Adams' term in 1801 |
Mercantile, Commercial Press |
-Dailies emerged by 1800
-Commercial enterprises
-Expanded advertising space
-Advance cause of business
-Boston Commercial Gazette, etc. |
Frontier, Country press |
-Small weeklies
-Content made up of reader opinion, local and national news
-Became boosters for the regions
-1814--> Federal law that federal papers must be printed in at least two papers per state/territory |
Labor press |
-Labor orgs and parties
-Mainstream press ignored them
-Classified ads (basic products) |
changes in printing technology |
-Better hand presses in early 1800s
-Steam presses in 1810s/20s
-Cylinder presses in 1840s
-Paper shifts from rag to wood pulp
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