NewspaperNewspaperA geographically limited medium issued A geographically limited medium issued regularly from a press on unbound paper regularly from a press on unbound paper

containing news, commentary, features, photos, containing news, commentary, features, photos, and advertising to serve the general interests of and advertising to serve the general interests of

a specific community or audiencea specific community or audience

5 Departments of most newspapers5 Departments of most newspapers

News/ editorialNews/ editorial AdvertisingAdvertising ProductionProduction CirculationCirculation AdministrationAdministration

““Acta Diurna”Acta Diurna”

Roman newspaperRoman newspaper Daily, handwritten gazette launched Daily, handwritten gazette launched

by Julius Caesar, 59 BCby Julius Caesar, 59 BC Reported newsworthy events, private Reported newsworthy events, private

and official noticesand official notices

““Ti Pao”Ti Pao”

China’s early version of the China’s early version of the newspapernewspaper

Provided news to gov’t officials and Provided news to gov’t officials and intellectual eliteintellectual elite

Forerunners to modern American Forerunners to modern American newspapernewspaper

TractsTracts• Pamphlets dist. by English printers Pamphlets dist. by English printers

containing topical newscontaining topical news CorantosCorantos

• Single sheet tracts dealing w/ current/ Single sheet tracts dealing w/ current/ foreign affairs (common by 1621)foreign affairs (common by 1621)

DiurnalsDiurnals• 4 page bulletins of local news (1640’s)4 page bulletins of local news (1640’s)

11stst newspaper in colonial America newspaper in colonial America

““Publick Occurrences, both Foreign Publick Occurrences, both Foreign and Domestick”and Domestick”

Banned by authorities after premiere Banned by authorities after premiere issueissue

Suppressed under 1662 ordinance Suppressed under 1662 ordinance that prohibited printing without a that prohibited printing without a licenselicense

Prior restraintPrior restraint

Strategy of licensing that effectively Strategy of licensing that effectively prevented “dangerous” ideas from prevented “dangerous” ideas from being printedbeing printed

““The Boston Newsletter”The Boston Newsletter”

Issued in 1704 by postmaster John Issued in 1704 by postmaster John CampbellCampbell

America’s 1America’s 1stst continuing newspaper continuing newspaper Published with support of colonial Published with support of colonial

gov’tgov’t

““Boston Gazette”Boston Gazette”

Published in 1719 by Boston Published in 1719 by Boston postmaster William Brookerpostmaster William Brooker

““published by authority”published by authority” Contents similar to “Boston Contents similar to “Boston

Newsletter” (trite/ boring)Newsletter” (trite/ boring)

““The New England Courant”The New England Courant”

Published in 1721 by James FranklinPublished in 1721 by James Franklin Differed from predecessors in Differed from predecessors in

content and lack of proper licensecontent and lack of proper license Franklin arrested/ prohibited from Franklin arrested/ prohibited from

publishingpublishing

Other early newspapersOther early newspapers

1725 “The New York Gazette”1725 “The New York Gazette” 1729 “The Pennsylvania Gazette”1729 “The Pennsylvania Gazette” 1733 “The New York Weekly Journal”1733 “The New York Weekly Journal”

Challenges of early newspapersChallenges of early newspapers

Struggle for freedom of the press Struggle for freedom of the press without prior restraintwithout prior restraint

Quest to allow truth of statements as Quest to allow truth of statements as a defense for libela defense for libel

Pre-RevolutionPre-Revolution

Newspapers became imp’t sources of Newspapers became imp’t sources of news and vehicles for advertisingnews and vehicles for advertising

Opinions and viewpoints became Opinions and viewpoints became more prevalent in published articles more prevalent in published articles as disenchantment w/ British rule as disenchantment w/ British rule spreadspread

Persuasion, Propaganda, Persuasion, Propaganda, Public relationsPublic relations

““The Crisis Papers” – Thomas PaineThe Crisis Papers” – Thomas Paine ““The Federalist Papers” – Alexander The Federalist Papers” – Alexander

HamiltonHamilton

Press as political party advocatePress as political party advocate

Political factions paid subsidies to Political factions paid subsidies to newspapers to act as their newspapers to act as their mouthpiecesmouthpieces

Editors defined themselves as either Editors defined themselves as either Federalist or RepublicanFederalist or Republican

End of partisan press periodEnd of partisan press period

18601860 Congress est. a gov’t printing office Congress est. a gov’t printing office The days of giving lucrative gov’t The days of giving lucrative gov’t

printing contracts to private print printing contracts to private print shops endedshops ended

““The Sun”The Sun”

11stst true mass-circulation newspaper true mass-circulation newspaper Started by Benjamin Day in 1833Started by Benjamin Day in 1833

Era of the penny pressEra of the penny press

Cost per unit of newspapers declined Cost per unit of newspapers declined due to shifting of production costs to due to shifting of production costs to advertisersadvertisers

This reasonable price made “The This reasonable price made “The Sun” the most successful newspaper Sun” the most successful newspaper in the country.in the country.

Era of the personal editorsEra of the personal editors

1840-18701840-1870 Bridge btwn old and new pressBridge btwn old and new press Editors pursued principle of popular Editors pursued principle of popular

appeal appeal Began methodical organization of Began methodical organization of

press into major social institutionpress into major social institution

Yellow journalismYellow journalism

Editors invented incidents and Editors invented incidents and headlines to go with themheadlines to go with them

Facts played relatively small role – Facts played relatively small role – excessive sensationalismexcessive sensationalism

Consequence of circulation warsConsequence of circulation wars Newspapers became big businessNewspapers became big business

Explosion of non-news content in Explosion of non-news content in newspapersnewspapers

1890’s and 1900’s1890’s and 1900’s Comic strips, advice columns, Comic strips, advice columns,

puzzles, features, weekly columnspuzzles, features, weekly columns

MuckrakersMuckrakers

Crusading journalists who focused Crusading journalists who focused their attention on major problems their attention on major problems caused by rapid industrialization and caused by rapid industrialization and urbanizationurbanization

Investigated businessesInvestigated businesses Exposed political and social illsExposed political and social ills

Newspapers since 1900Newspapers since 1900

More temperate pressMore temperate press ““The New York Times”The New York Times”

• Launched by Adolph Ochs in 1896Launched by Adolph Ochs in 1896• Motto “all the news that’s fit to print”Motto “all the news that’s fit to print”

Jazz journalismJazz journalism

1920’s and 30’s1920’s and 30’s Represented renewed appeal of Represented renewed appeal of

sensationalismsensationalism

The “New York Daily News”The “New York Daily News”

19191919 Smaller tabloid format provided Smaller tabloid format provided

easier reading for subway riderseasier reading for subway riders Largest circulation in the U.S.Largest circulation in the U.S.