Newspapers, News, and Comics

Newspapers and News:Reflections of a Democratic Society

– Referencing Mass Communication: Living in a Media World Chapter 6Ralph E. Hanson

Early Newspapers• 1618: Curanto, published in Amsterdam, is

first English-language newspaper.• 1622: Newspapers being published in Britain,

distributed through coffeehouses.• Followers of church reformers John Calvin and

Martin Luther among the earliest publishers.

Ben and James Franklin1721: New England Courant• Published by James Franklin, Ben Franklin’s

older brother.• First paper published without “By Authority”

notice; James sent to prison for doing so, Ben takes over publishing paper.

Early American Newspapers• Were for elites • Published by political parties• Focused on opinion, not news• Expensive, had small circulation

Penny Press Revolution• Benjamin Day’s idea: The New York Sun—“It shines

for all.”• Sold on the street for one or two cents.• Supported primarily by advertising.• First papers to focus on “news.”• Journalistic objectivity developed as a way to appeal

to larger audiences.

A Modern Democratic Society• Rapidly growing number of papers.• Growing number of people working for wages.• The United States transforming from rural to

urban society.• Newspapers promoted democratic market society.• People acquire the news “habit.”

Newspaper WarsHearst vs. Pulitzer

Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World• Creation of the front page• Created headlines with news• Targeting immigrants and women• Nellie Bly and stunt journalism

Newspaper WarsHearst vs. Pulitzer

William Randolph Hearst’s New York Journal• Rise of yellow journalism• Popularized comics, including Yellow Kid• Sensationalistic stories by both papers

promoting Spanish-American War in Cuba

Broadcast News—Radio• 1920: KDKA covers Harding-Cox presidential election

results before the newspapers.• 1930s: Newspapers argue radio should not broadcast

news. Threatened to cut off AP.• World War II: Edward R. Murrow broadcasting for

CBS from Europe. Brought the war home for listeners.

Broadcast News—Television• 1940: Republican national convention covered by

experimental NBC television network.• Murrow makes jump from radio to television.• 1948: CBS starts nightly 15-minute newscast.• 1963: CBS expands newscast to 30 minutes with Walter

Cronkite.• 1979: ABC starts Nightline during Iranian hostage crisis.

Broadcast News – Cable• 1980: CNN goes on the air, promises not to sign

off until the “end of the world.”• 1991: Gulf War makes CNN the place to go for

current news.• 2000s: Fox News comes to dominate the cable

news ratings with programming that takes a strong point of view.

Newspapers Today• Few cities have competing daily newspapers• Most newspapers owned by large chains.• Largest chain is Gannett, publisher of USA.

Today; owns approximately 85 daily papers.• Newspaper revenues falling; worst problems

are at the metropolitan papers.

National Newspapers – USA Today• Brought color and design to forefront• Originally described as having “News McNuggets”• Mid-2000s—Strengthens reporting; has daily

circulation of 2.1 million• Has successful Web site to go with national

distribution of paper

National NewspapersWall Street Journal

• Traditional look with focus on financial news.• Now owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp.• Daily circulation of approximately 2.0 million.• Editorial page is one of nation’s leading

conservative voices.

Metro Papers: New York Times• Started as penny paper.• Defines what is news in the United States• Although tied to New York, it has national

circulation.

Metro Papers: Washington Post• Came to national prominence with Watergate

reporting of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein.

• Low point for paper was Janet Cooke scandal.• Prominent source of government news.

Metro Papers: Los Angeles Times• Leading West Coast paper.• Controversy surrounding cost-cutting at paper.• Experimented with “mainstreaming”

Attempt to include quotes from women and minorities; trying to appeal to larger, more diverse audience.

Community and Suburban Papers• Daily and weekly papers serving individual

communities and suburbs.• Publish news that people can’t get anywhere

else.• “A local paper won’t get scooped by CNN.”

What is News?• Timeliness• Proximity• Prominence• Consequence• Rarity• Human Interest

Dangers Journalists Face• As of October 2009, 139 journalists had died covering

war in Iraq. More than half were deliberately murdered.

• Trend of murdering journalists in war on terror started with death of Daniel Pearl.

• “They believe it is better for you to know that such things happen than not to know.” — Reporter Terry Anderson

Are Newspapers Dying?• National newspapers profitable, holding onto

circulation.• Afternoon dailies have been closing for decades;

several high profile dailies have closed in recent years.• Most of the job losses have been at major urban

papers.• Christian Science Monitor went to an all-online format.

Newspapers and the Web• Newspapers breaking news through Web sites.• Newspapers offering mobile sites, podcasts,

social media feeds.• Examples: Globe and Mail• Montana Standard• New York Times

Comics as Social Commentary

Melanie Cook

Doonesbury

Anti-Gun Starbucks ExampleThe “M” word example

Garry Trudeau

For Better or for Worse

The Mom, I’m gay story.

Lynn Johnson

Dilbert

Scott Adams

Web Comics

Scott McCloud

The Accidental Dentist