MI 101 EXAM #2 Chapter 6 - Newspapers

Amsterdam & early newspapers

·        Less restrictions by the government

·        Commercialization of the news

·        Published in Dutch, Latin, English & French

·        Published 1, 3, or 5 times a week

·        Exporting to France & England by 1620

·        Religious & Political commentary in later part of 17th C

Gazette d’Amsterdam (1662)

How governments controlled the press

Government charters, taxation, censorship

Getting around government control

·        Pseudonyms

·        Manuscripts

·        Publish abroad

·        Communicate at 2 levels

o   Nursery Rhymes

o   Hmong story rugs

Competition and public sphere

Growing competition between papers and increase public sphere

Legacy of newspapers in the colonial period

·        Never a monopoly on newspapers

·        More newspapers than anywhere in the world

·        First Amendment

Partisan press

Political papers often controlled by the parties, little sense of objectivity (were very biased) and little sympathy for challenge/dissent

Dissent press & its effects

·        Spoke for the oppressed, didn't last long because severe financial hardships

·        Use of open forums and media events (agenda setting)

·        Had impact

Penny press (innovations)

·        STEAM POWERED ROTARY PRESS

·        Focus on NEWS, INCLUDING LOCAL NEWS, crime news

·        Nonpartisan, emphasized facts over opinion, focus on news/objectivity

Ignored politics

Economics of Penny Press

·        Circulation – sold for ONE CENT, no subscriptions

·        PRIMARY FUNDS = ADVERTISING, shift in focus on people (public interest) rather than business, from economic to political

Growth of newspapers in 1800s

·        In 1840, US newspaper circulations surpassed Europe’s (Pop of Eur = 233mil, US=17mil!!!!!)

·        Growth continued as a result of literacy, technological innovations (rotary press), growth in the postal system

Newspapers and the Civil War

·        Fredericksburg Herald (1859)
“Newspapers and Telegraphs have ruined
the country. Suppress both and the country
could be saved now.”

·        Re-emergence of partisan press

·        Brooks-Sumner Incident, Dred Scott Decision, John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry

Emergence of reporters

·        Reporters started in 1830s

·        Why? – better training, writing, and salaries

·        Emergence of a profession (Press clubs and White Chapel Club)

Nelly Bly

Elizabeth Jane Cochran

Reporter

1880 – response to Pittsburgh Dispatch

Pulitzer’s New York World

African American Press

New York Amsterdam News, Chicago Defender, Published W.E.B. DuBois, Malcom X

Newspaper chains

·        Before WWII -> 80% independent

·        Today -> 80% owned by these

·        Largest: Gannett (Tenga)

National newspapers

·        Changed look (more color), clear structure, shorter stories, tons of ads

·        USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor

Metropolitan Press

New York Times, LA Times, Washington Post

New York Times

·        Newspaper with approx. 1/3 readership outside of NYC

·        Agenda setting

Underground/Alternative Press

·        Local/edgy, weekly

·        Ex: Washington Blade – LGBT newspaper (oldest GLBT newspaper)

Community Press

·        Type of newspaper serving an individual community or suburb

Why are newspapers disappearing?

·        Concentration – short-term focus on profits

·        Internet – increase in competition and access online

·        Ad revenue

Problems with the internet for news media

·        More commentary

·        More partisan

·        Issues of accuracy

·        >80% news comes from traditional news outlets

New business model of the internet

·        We will pay for expertise

·        We will pay for special access

·        We will pay to rant (William Lloyd Garrison & The Liberator)