Transcript Introduction to Mass Media CMST 102

Introduction to Mass Media
CMST 102
Chapter 3
Newspapers: The Rise and Fall of
Modern Journalism
• The evolution of newspapers as a mass
medium parallels changes in American
society.
• We can chart newspapers through the 3
stages: development, entrepreneurship,
mass medium.
Colonial Publishing
• 1690: Publick Occurrences: First paper
published in American colonies.
• Colonial newspapers subject to British
censorship.
• Papers were highly partisan.
Innovation
• After Public Occurrences was banned, other
papers cropped up including Benjamin
Franklin's Pennsylvania Gazette, which made
money by printing advertising.
The New York Weekly Journal
• Founded in 1733 by the Popular Party, the
journal attacked British rule. John Peter
Zenger was arrested for seditious libel but was
later found not guilty.
• Major turning point
for freedom of the press.
Early American Newspapers
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Were for elites
Published by political parties
Focused on opinion, not news
Expensive, had small circulation
Represents the development stage
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.”
• Human Interest stories.
• Represents the entrepreneurial stage.
Papers become a Mass Medium
• Rapidly growing number of papers.
• Growing number of people working for wages.
• The United States transforming from rural to
urban society.
• Spurred growth in literacy rates
• People acquire the news “habit.” Penny
Papers
• Wire Services greatly aided in ability to receive
and send news.
Newspaper Wars
Hearst vs. Pulitzer
• Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World
– Creation of the front page
• Created headlines with news targeting
immigrants and women
• Stunt journalism
Newspaper Wars Hearst vs. Pulitzer
Joseph Pulitzer's New York World was aimed at
immigrants, women, labor, and railed against big
business.
William Randolph Hearst
• Hearst’s New York Journal pushed the envelop
to gain readership through yellow journalism.
• It popularized comics, including the Yellow
Kid, and sensationalistic stories. Tabloid
journalism as we know it today.
Objectivity in Modern Journalism
• By 1896, the New York Times reinvented news
by covering the "facts" on the front page and
including editorials in its papers.
• Sensationalism was downplayed
• The idea was you could sell
more papers that way.
Different forms of journalism emerged
• Investigative covered complex national &
global developments to help readers
understand what was going on.
• Literary or "new journalism" used fictional
techniques to tell the story.
Journalism in the Technology Age
• USA Today was the first
daily newspaper to use color
to mimic TV
• Online Journalism
– Instead of buying a paper,
readers "log on" to a website,
or aggregator to get their news.
Categorizing News & U.S. Newspapers
• Small local papers: Focus on consensus
• Regional & National: Focus on Conflict
• Ethnic & Minority Newspapers
– African American
– Spanish Language
– Asian American
– Native American
– Arab America
The Underground Press
Examples
The Economics of Newspapers
• The newspaper business is in a state of flux
today.
• Challenges include TV, more recently, the
overall economy, & the Internet.
• Papers have gone bankrupt.
• The survivors have down-sized, cut staff, &
tried to survive on-line.
Money In
Advertising
http://cdn.physorg.com/newman/gfx/news/fcc
asksdomed.jpg
Money Out
• Salaries & Wages /Wire Services & Feature
Syndication
Challenges Facing Newspapers
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Declining Readership
Decreasing Competition
Joint Operating Agreements
Newspaper Chains
Going Digital
Blogs
Citizen Journalism
Newspapers in a Democratic Society
• What will happen to American traditions if
newspapers disappear.
• Decline of readership has led to the loss of
newspaper revenue.
• Will technology undermine the traditions
established by our country’s earliest and most
enduring institution?
Page One Inside the New York Times
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwTMFXgf95c