Newspapers

6

NewspapersReflection of a

Democratic Society

Inventing the Modern Press

• Martin Luther and John Calvin: published newspaper-like

broadsheets in the 1500s

• Newspapers first appeared in England in the 1620s.

• Publick Occurrence: first newspaper in the American colonies (1690)

• Boston News Letter: first to publish multiple issues (1704)

Benjamin and James Franklin

• James started the New England Courant in 1721: first newspaper published

without approval of the British government

• 16-year-old Benjamin takes over after James is jailed.

• Benjamin Franklin purchased the Pennsylvania Gazette in 1729: featured first political

cartoon introduced the weather

report as a regular feature

The Penny Press: Newspapers for the People

• Before 1830s, papers contained shipping news and political essays. designed primarily for the wealthy elite underwritten by political parties expensive, as much as 6 cents a day

• Average worker might make 85 cents a day

available only by annual subscription, paid in advance

Penny Press (cont.)

• September 3, 1833—Benjamin Day begins publishing the New York Sun:

paper’s motto was “It shines for all”

inexpensive, sold for a penny or two on the street

• derived the name penny press

profits came primarily from advertising revenue

invented the concept of “news”

A Modern Democratic Society

• Increase in number of papers in just a decade: In 1830—650 weeklies and 65 dailies in the United

States In 1840—1,241 weeklies and 138 dailies

• Changes wrought by industrial revolution: Shift from rural to urban, agricultural to industrial

society People working for wages, purchasing consumer

goods• Penny press—provided means for advertising these

goods

Pulitzer, Hearst, and the Battle for New York City

• Joseph Pulitzer came to the United States from Austria in 1864 to fight in U.S. Civil War in 1878, bought the St.

Louis Post and Dispatch

in 1883, bought the failing New York World

• boosted circulation from 15,000 to more than 250,000 in 3 years

credited with shaping the modern front page

• featured prominent stories “above the fold”

reached out to women and immigrant readers

established Pulitzer Prize

• William Randolph Hearst began career as editor of

the San Francisco Examiner

purchased the New York Journal

used ideas developed by Pulitzer in his paper

fierce battle between Pulitzer and Hearst

Yellow journalism—shocking, sensationalistic reporting derived from the Pulitzer-Hearst rivalry

• name derived from popular “Yellow Kid” comic• featured in both Pulitzer’s and Hearst’s papers.

The Newspaper Business

• Newspaper Conglomerates 1,500 daily newspapers

• down 25 percent from 100 years ago

Chains—corporations that control a significant number of newspapers or other media outlets

Before World War II—80 percent of newspapers were owned independently

Today—80 percent owned by chains

• Gannett: chain with the largest circulation (USA Today) owns more than 90 daily newspapers combined circulation of approximately 7.3 million goals as high as 30 to 40 percent profit

National Newspapers

• USA Today (1982): “McPaper” serving up

“News McNuggets” lost more than $800 million

in first decade is found everywhere changed the look of

newspapers industry-wide forced the industry to

reconsider news priorities 2.3 million daily circulation

• The Wall Street Journal: retains old-fashioned look last major paper to start

using color uses pen-and-ink drawings

over photos the definitive source of

financial news heavy national and

international news coverage

daily circulation of 2 million

• The Christian Science Monitor (1908): owned by the Christian

Science church started by Mary Baker Eddy “appeal to the literate,

concerned and moral citizen”

cover serious issues, especially international stories

downplays news about medicine and health

72,000 daily circulation

English-Language International Newspapers

• International Herald Tribune (1887): published in Paris,

distributed in 180 countries

• Financial Times: owned by Pearson

companies primarily a business

newspaper

• The Wall Street Journal: publishes European and

Asian editions

The Metropolitan Press

• The New York Times: most influential newspaper

in United States 1.1 million daily

subscribers • one third of them live

outside of New York City

bought by Adolf Ochs in 1896

nicknamed “Gray Lady” on October 16, 1997, used

color photos on front page

The Metropolitan Paper (cont.)

• The Washington Post: Watergate created a

national reputation• reporters Bob

Woodward and Carl Bernstein / editor Bill Bradlee

The Metropolitan Paper (cont.)

• The Los Angeles Times: gaining national reputation

as solid paper mainstreaming—quoting

nonwhite and nonmale sources in stories that aren’t about minority issues

• can cause confusion with reporters

• policy established to reach out to minority readers

The Tabloids

• Tabloid newspapers: feature 11x14 inch format usually have a cover rather

than a front page

• Broadsheet newspapers: feature 17 by 22 format

• Examples of Tabloids: The New York Daily News:

• big photos, huge headlines, sensationalistic stories

• January 13, 1928 cover featuring Ruth Snyder’s execution

Community and Suburban Papers

• Community press—weekly and daily newspapers serving individual communities or suburbs rely on Web presence 1,100 daily, 1,200 nondaily community papers in

United States loyal readers stories not being covered nationally

News and Society

• News characteristics: timeliness proximity prominence consequence rarity human interest

News and Society (cont.)

• Sources, advertisers and readers: editors increasingly looking to appeal to advertisers surrounding news stories with similar ads

• Patriotism and the press 2006—92 journalists have died in Iraq since March

2003• 2006 alone—32 killed in Iraq, 23 internationally

targets: deliberately murdered (Daniel Pearl)

Daniel Pearl

The Alternative Press

Alternative papers—serve specialized audiences:

• Freedom’s Journal (1827): “Black citizens were humans who were being treated

unjustly”

• North Star (1847): Frederick Douglass, editor pushed for end of slavery, black rights

• Chicago Defender (1905): profit as well as advocacy urged southern blacks to move north

Rev Samuel Cornish (L)John B. Russwurm

• The Gay Press: The Washington Blade (1969)

• promotes gay causes, highlights problems

Gay City News (New York City)• purchased by a straight-owned company in 2002• targeted a gay audience for profit, no longer for only the

promotion of gay culture

• Underground Papers: attract young people being bought up by chains

The Future of Newspapers

• Are newspapers a dying medium? major urban papers: losing circulation, staff cutbacks afternoon papers first casualty historically Falling circulation figures:

• in 2005, circulation fell 2.6 percent for dailies • it fell 3.1 percent for Sunday papers

convenience factor still strong

The future of newspapers (cont.)

• Newspapers and the Web: breaking news—news story that requires frequent

updating • Web allows for easy updating

Breaking news online • role of Dallas Morning News• Oklahoma City Bombing, Clinton-Lewinsky stories broke

online first• advantages/problems of online publishing

The future of newspapers (cont.)

• What the Web offers newspapers: good at presenting interactive features on breaking

news Pew Research Center for the People and the Press:

• roughly 30 percent of people use Internet for news on a regular basis

• more turn to network sites rather than paper sites

Importance of new technologies and formats:• podcasts• PDA-designed versions• blogs

• http://www.nytimes.com/

• http://www.washingtonpost.com/

• http://www.latimes.com/