Chp. 6: Newspapers and the News

Question 1

Early Newspapers

Answer 1

• 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 earliest publishers

Question 2

Colonial Publishing

Answer 2

•1690: Publick Occurrences, first paper published in American colonies
•Colonial newspapers subject to British censorship
•1721: New England Courant
–Published by James Franklin, Ben’s older brother
–First paper published without “By Authority” notice; James sent to prison for doing so, Ben takes over publishing paper

Question 3

Early American Newspapers

Answer 3

• Audience primarily wealthy elite
• Published by political parties
• Focused on opinion, not news
• Expensive and had small circulation
• Generally bought by prepaid subscription

Question 4

Penny Press Revolution

Answer 4

• 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 shift focus on news
• Journalistic objectivity developed as a way to appeal to larger audiences
• Rise of working class supported penny press growth

Question 5

Newspaper Wars: Hearst vs. Pulitzer

Answer 5

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

Question 6

Tabloids

Answer 6

• Smaller format newspapers written in a lively, often sensationalistic, style
• Tabloid “jazz journalism” era
• New York Daily News and New York Post
• Racy London tabloids14Hanson

Question 7

What Is News?

Answer 7

• Timeliness
• Proximity
• Prominence
• Consequence
• Rarity
• Human interest

Question 8

News in the Age of Mobile Media

Answer 8

• National reach newspapers (NY Times, Washington Post, etc.) seeing significant online growth
• Paper delivery is becoming less important
• “It’s wrong to say we’re becoming a digital society. We already are a digital society. And even that statement is behind the times. We’re a mobile society” – Marty Barron, executive editor, Washington Post

Question 9

The Future Is Mobile and Social

Answer 9

• In 2016, 67% of adults get news through social media
• Two-thirds (or more) of social media users get news through social media
• News is social and news is mobile