Mass Communication and Media History Review

Flashcards testing core concepts, facts, dates, key figures, and terminology from the Mass Communication lecture notes.

The Wacoan

A publication for which the professor and his wife have written the Food & Drink section for 20 years.

Red Hat

The person responsible for stopping a football game for commercial breaks, a role the professor filled at Baylor football games.

Martin Luther

The figure who wrote the 95 Theses of Contention in 1517 and initiated the Protestant Reformation.

Protestant Reformation

A historical movement that served as a triumph for literacy and the printing press, marked by a split from the Catholic Church and the translation of the Bible into German.

Salman Rushdie

The author of Satanic Verses (published in 1988) who was stabbed on stage while speaking about protecting authors.

Classified Ads

The advertising category historically known as the cash cow for newspapers.

Sunday Newspaper

The biggest newspaper day of the week, featuring the most advertising, college sports coverage, and house and apartment hunting content.

Newspaper Beat

A specific assigned area of coverage for a reporter, such as police, courthouse, business, entertainment, lifestyle, religion, politics, or sports.

Police Beat

A journalistic beat where reporters review public police reports and listen to radio or online police scanners.

Journalist Sales Prerequisites

The four core skills journalists have to sell: sense of what is news, interviewing, observation, and research.

Editorials vs. News

The two primary functions of a newspaper: editorials provide opinion, whereas news provides factual information.

Characteristics of a Good Reporter

Being invisible, keeping personal beliefs non-obvious, protecting sources, getting all sides of the story, and separating news from opinion.

2017 New Orleans Milestone

The year New Orleans became the largest U.S. city without a daily newspaper.

January 1, 2026 Atlanta Milestone

The date Atlanta became the largest U.S. city without a physical newspaper.

Makazin

The Arabic origin word for magazine, which translates to storehouse.

Edifying Monthly Discussions

A German publication focusing on theology and poetry, recognized as the earliest magazine.

Gentleman's Magazine

A London publication recognized as the first general interest magazine.

The Scots Magazine

The oldest magazine still in print, which began publishing on February 9, 1739.

Kvety

The oldest magazine never to stop publishing, established in 1834.

Scientific American

The oldest American magazine still publishing.

Important Magazine Launch Dates

A timeline of historical magazine launches ranging from Lady's Magazine in 1770 to People in 1974.

Photoplay

Launched in 1912, it was the first movie magazine.

Playboy (First Issue)

Famous magazine featuring Marilyn Monroe on its first cover and known for publishing major writers and journalism.

People Magazine Best-Sellers

The two top-selling cover subjects for People magazine: The Royal Family, and Chip & Joanna Gaines.

McClure's Magazine

The first major publication to practice muckraking, which is deep investigative journalism.

Lincoln Steffens

An early muckraker who exposed corruption in St. Louis.

Ida Tarbell

Investigative journalist who wrote The History of the Standard Oil Company, investigated John D. Rockefeller, authored the first major profile of a business CEO, and was the first woman known for hard-hitting investigative journalism.

Upton Sinclair

Muckraker who wrote The Jungle in 1906, exposing Chicago meatpacking conditions and leading to the Pure Food and Drug Act and the creation of the FDA.

Bob Woodward & Carl Bernstein

Washington Post reporters who investigated Watergate, authored All the President's Men, popularized the phrase 'Follow the money,' and helped bring about President Nixon's resignation.

Hunter S. Thompson

Rolling Stone writer who created Gonzo Journalism, a style where the reporter becomes part of the story.