A "Brief" History of Journalism

Brief Overview of the History of Newspapers - Part 1

Newspapers and their increasing ability to influence the public began to create a revolution in society and the media by 1765 (Sloan 51). The conclusion of the Seven Years’ War and the beginning of the Stamp Act marked a change in how media was utilized in the colonies (Sloan 51). Printers soon began protesting taxation through their newspapers (Sloan 53). Newspapers were soon used as a device to voice the public’s issues that it had against Great Britain (Sloan 53). Political presses began to take root in the colonies (Sloan 54). Sloan writes, “The popularity of newspapers provides stark testimony to the interest of a large body of citizenry in the issues leading to the Revolution. Newspapers circulated widely, and the average citizen, not just the aristocrat, read them” (55). Newspapers were able to spread across the colonies and influence those who read them.

This media during the 1700s was instrumental in sparking the revolution against Great Britain. During the Revolution, freedom of the press was questioned (Sloan 106). When the colonies declared their independence, and became their own nation, it was decided that they needed a set of laws to abide by and follow. The Constitution and Bill of Rights were soon drafted and written as one of the primary rights was the freedom of the press. The freedom of the press became protected under the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights (Sloan 109). Therefore the press were protected from any repercussions except in cases of libel. Newspapers were spread widely throughout the nation and with it came the development of the partisan press. Presses took sides on many issues concerning society during this time. One of these issues during the 1800s was slavery and thus the abolitionist press was created (Sloan 143). These presses eventually lead to the adoption of the first newspaper edited and published by a colored man which was named the Colored American (Sloan 151). Newspapers were able to incite reform within the public and influence statutes. Through the use of the press, Americans worked toward equality and rights for all people within the nation.

The invention of the telegraph during the Civil War was a major development during the late 1800s (Sloan 161). The telegraph allowed for people to communicate over vast distances quicker than the published newspaper. This allowed people to get news quickly about the results of battles during the war instead of having to wait weeks for the press to write and distribute their paper (Sloan 161). This emphasis on obtaining information quickly through the telegraph sometimes lead to inaccurate reporting. Though the news was able to reach its intended target in a more effectual way, the accuracy may have been lacking (Sloan 163). As newspapers began to advance as did their want for expansion. This expansion was directed westward along with the hope of improving economic development (Sloan 193). Previously newspapers were dependent upon their advertisers to help fund their presses; however, during the late 1800s this changed. An increase in advertising meant that newspapers were receiving more money thus they became less indebted to their advertisers (Sloan 210). Newspapers had been influenced by their advertisers in the past but with the new revenue they were able to become more independent (Sloan 211).

The advancement of technology allowed for newspapers to make progress in speed and decrease their prices. Sloan writes, “Technical improvements in production also reduced costs while increasing speeds” (219). People were able to receive their news faster and cheaper than before due to superior machines. During the 1900s the term mass media was used throughout the country as a reference to the massive spread of communication throughout the world (Sloan 299). Society was changing as well as newspapers through innovation and ideals. As new developments in technology emerged, newspapers sought to new ways to attract their audience (Sloan 299). The film industry and celebrities marked a new genre of reporting while presses implemented new inventions (Sloan 301). Publishers used these new inventions such as colored ink, high-speed presses, telegraphs, and more to compete with other newspapers (Sloan 301). These inventions made it more attractive to readers and was able to gain a broader reach in audiences.

Publisher’s who were successful sought to consolidate with other newspapers thus creating a chain ownership (Sloan 304). This lead to questioning whether some had too much power or ownership within the medium. A court case involving the Associated Press during this time decided that the company could not prevent other newspapers from gaining membership (Sloan 306). Objectivity in journalism was sought after after the accounts of World War I propaganda reporting (Sloan 314). Sloan writes, “The ideal of objectivity led journalists to techniques of reporting that now are standard. These techniques included attributing information to sources, trying to balance coverage by giving both sides of issues, and offering some context for news events” (314). These standards are taught today throughout mass media and communications. It is essential that journalists follow these rules that were written in the 20th century. Objectivity is an important aspect in any credible reporter’s work. In order to be credible a journalist must have these qualities. These qualities have affected journalism since the time they were enacted to today’s current practices.

Commercial broadcasting in the 1920s brought change to mass media (Sloan 317). The radio was employed throughout the country as a way to transmit information and news. Publishers had originally been owners of the stations until their monopoly was dismantled in 1933 (Sloan 317). Radio soon began their own separate entities and their medium spread across the nation. Radio became popular within the public especially during times of war for information regarding the results of battles (Sloan 317). Radio began to develop more broadly later in the 1900s and with it came more content. Radio was able to provide more than just news by eventually producing music, comedy, and sports coverage (Sloan 373-377). The availability of different content and information allowed for the popularity of radio to grow and more possibilities for advancement to prosper.

Television and its creation was able to provide a medium in which news coverage was reported in an exceedingly different way. News coverage became more visual and entertaining (Sloan 408). Television created a new mass medium to communicate news and provide entertainment. This innovation has increasingly developed over time to supply the public with pertinent information regarding their public and country. News has become a way to communicate with millions of people on a daily basis. It is able to influence society and the way people understand events in history.

Technology such as the internet and social media has created new avenues for mass media to get their point across (Sloan 411). In today’s society information and news is basically instantaneous. News corporations are able to publish multiple articles on their websites throughout the day. Social media has become a major outlet for people to receive their news. These developments have influenced society and the way objectivity is perceived. Technology has allowed better access to information to millions of people across the world. Communication is spread throughout the world through these platforms that we use for a multitude of reasons. News has now become universal and essential to our society.