A (brief) History of A (brief) History of American MediaAmerican Media

America’s First NewspapersAmerica’s First Newspapers

First newspapers characterized by First newspapers characterized by government government supervision, prior approval and censorshipsupervision, prior approval and censorship

Publick OccurrencesPublick Occurrences Published in Boston, 1690Published in Boston, 1690 Suppressed by British governmentSuppressed by British government after only after only

one editionone edition Boston News-LetterBoston News-Letter

Published in Boston, 1704Published in Boston, 1704 Published Published “by authority” or with government “by authority” or with government

approvalapproval

Free Press BeginningsFree Press Beginnings

Trial of Trial of John Peter ZengerJohn Peter Zenger, editor of the , editor of the New New York Weekly Journal,York Weekly Journal, who was jailed in 1734 who was jailed in 1734

Zenger was tried for Zenger was tried for “seditious libel” “seditious libel” for for criticizing the governmentcriticizing the government

Zenger was found Zenger was found “not guilty”“not guilty” Case allowed journalists to print Case allowed journalists to print TRUTH without TRUTH without

fear of censorship or lawsuitsfear of censorship or lawsuits

Pressed for IndependencePressed for Independence

The founding fathers guaranteed The founding fathers guaranteed freedom the freedom the presspress by including it in the by including it in the First Amendment First Amendment of the Constitution in 1789.of the Constitution in 1789.

““Congress shall make no law respecting an Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of establishment of RELIGIONRELIGION, or prohibiting , or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of freedom of SPEECHSPEECH, or of the , or of the PRESSPRESS; or ; or the right of the people peaceably to the right of the people peaceably to ASSEMBLEASSEMBLE, and to , and to PETITIONPETITION the the Government for a redress of grievances.”Government for a redress of grievances.”

Penny PressPenny Press

Newspapers began in 1833 Newspapers began in 1833 selling and selling and distributing to the public massesdistributing to the public masses. First . First newspapers were newspapers were sold for a pennysold for a penny, hence , hence the term the term “penny press”“penny press”

Penny press increased Penny press increased literacy and literacy and knowledge of public affairsknowledge of public affairs..

Information ExplosionInformation Explosion

1844 - 1844 - TelegraphTelegraph allowed reporters to allowed reporters to transmit stories transmit stories quickly over long quickly over long distancesdistances

News News “wire services”“wire services” developed, such as developed, such as the Associated Press (1849) and United the Associated Press (1849) and United Press. These are stories written by Press. These are stories written by reporters and then reporters and then sent over long sent over long distances for use in local papers. distances for use in local papers. Still used Still used today but sent via the Internettoday but sent via the Internet

Yellow JournalismYellow Journalism

Late 19th CenturyLate 19th Century

Unethical, irresponsibleUnethical, irresponsible journalism: journalism: hoaxes, altered photos, screaming hoaxes, altered photos, screaming headlines, self-promotion: headlines, self-promotion: early tabloidsearly tabloids

MuckrakingMuckraking

Early 20Early 20thth century century Socially consciousSocially conscious journalism journalism Reporters and editors Reporters and editors crusaded for social crusaded for social

changechange and battled and battled corruptioncorruption Newspapers and magazines Newspapers and magazines caused caused

reformreform in medicine, child labor, meat in medicine, child labor, meat packing, and the oil industrypacking, and the oil industry

Nellie BlyNellie Bly, famous muckracker who , famous muckracker who covered NY’s covered NY’s poor asylum conditionspoor asylum conditions..

RadioRadio

1916 - First Radio Newscast: 1916 - First Radio Newscast: Wilson-Wilson-Hughes presidential election returnsHughes presidential election returns

Broadcast news sees golden age in Broadcast news sees golden age in 1930s, ’40s, and ’50s, with networks 1930s, ’40s, and ’50s, with networks (CBS, NBC, ABC) leading the way(CBS, NBC, ABC) leading the way

Radio broadcasters pioneer Radio broadcasters pioneer war coverage war coverage in World War Iin World War I

Strong news coverage still exists on Strong news coverage still exists on talk talk stations and National Public Radiostations and National Public Radio

MagazinesMagazines At the beginning of World War I (1916), magazines At the beginning of World War I (1916), magazines

started featuring articles on international issues. started featuring articles on international issues. People started relying onPeople started relying on newspapers and magazines newspapers and magazines for information on the worsening conditionsfor information on the worsening conditions..

The term The term news magazinenews magazine was born. was born.

Newsmagazines today include Newsmagazines today include Time, Newsweek, U.S. Time, Newsweek, U.S. News and World ReportNews and World Report

TelevisionTelevision 1940s - First 1940s - First TV newscastTV newscast takes place takes place

1960s - Networks (ABC, CBS, NBC) shift 1960s - Networks (ABC, CBS, NBC) shift news news power from radio to TVpower from radio to TV

TV news helps create phenomenon known as TV news helps create phenomenon known as “global village”“global village” or bringing the world together or bringing the world together through broadcast of major events like the through broadcast of major events like the Olympics, political events and natural disastersOlympics, political events and natural disasters

TelevisionTelevision TV impacts world events, such as presidential TV impacts world events, such as presidential

elections and the elections and the Vietnam WarVietnam War

1980 - Ted Turner founds 1980 - Ted Turner founds CNN, the Cable CNN, the Cable News NetworkNews Network, broadcasting news , broadcasting news 24 hours a 24 hours a dayday

InternetInternet

In the 1990s, the In the 1990s, the World Wide WebWorld Wide Web becomes widely available to consumers.becomes widely available to consumers.

In 1995, In 1995, www.cnn.com is launched is launched Recent reports suggest that high school Recent reports suggest that high school

and college age youth and college age youth use the Internet as use the Internet as their No. 1 news sourcetheir No. 1 news source

Instant InformationInstant Information 1999:1999: Millions watch the Millions watch the attacks on attacks on

Columbine High SchoolColumbine High School. . Cable in the Cable in the ClassroomClassroom made it possible for made it possible for people inside the school to watch people inside the school to watch news coverage of the event as it was news coverage of the event as it was happening.happening.

2001:2001: Networks air hours of Networks air hours of commercial free coverage of the commercial free coverage of the 9/11 9/11 terrorist attacksterrorist attacks (even MTV and (even MTV and ESPN).ESPN).

Instant InformationInstant Information 2004:2004: Cell phones Cell phones with text messaging with text messaging

and online alertsand online alerts keep people informed of keep people informed of news events around the clock. Shawnee news events around the clock. Shawnee Mission School District even uses Mission School District even uses phone phone alerts for snow daysalerts for snow days..

2005:2005: Web LogsWeb Logs (“Blogs”) become (“Blogs”) become immensely popular as a form of immensely popular as a form of news news coverage and also personal expressioncoverage and also personal expression. . Blogs are Blogs are user-generated websitesuser-generated websites where where journal-style entriesjournal-style entries are displayed in real are displayed in real time. Facebook, anyone?time. Facebook, anyone?

What’s Next?What’s Next? ““Convergence”Convergence” media gives media gives

information in both information in both video and written video and written formats via the same publicationformats via the same publication (print stories and video newscasts on (print stories and video newscasts on paper’s website)paper’s website)

This This recent trend forces journalists from recent trend forces journalists from different media (print, broadcast, different media (print, broadcast, photography) to photography) to work together in their work together in their coverage of storiescoverage of stories. Future journalists must . Future journalists must be prepared for a be prepared for a wider variety of job dutieswider variety of job duties..