Welcome toPrint Media:Newspapers!

Beginning until 1900's

Early sources of news:-town criers-Roman handwritten news sheets (50's bc)-tipao- Chinese gov't produced news sheets (200bc)

The biggest invention?THE PRINTING PRESS!

Johann Gutenberg, Europe, 1450's

Why is this invention so important?CHEAP ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION!

THIS ALSO MEANS...Those who control the print, control the population

A letter written by Christopher Columbus, reporting on his discoveries, was set in type and circulating in Barcelona before Columbus arrived there in April of 1493.

BIG DATESmid 1500's – Venice gazettes (on war and politics)

1600's – German Weeklies, Belgian Weeklies, Austrian Weeklies, French Weeklies, Spanish Weeklies, English Weeklies, etc.

*This marks the first steady flow of massively produced continental information hitting England.

These newspapers were of two varieties: *Dutch – 2-4 sheets *German – 8-24 pamphlet sheets

1640's – England. First advertisements.

Newspapers and Freedom of the Press

-Began HIGHLY regulated-Rarely reported about the country in which they were printed

Newspapers and Freedom of the Press-English Civil War (1640's -50's– Cromwell pushes freedom of news

*Cromwell changed mind after execution of Charles I when he himself rose to power.

-Late 1600's American newspapers. Used towards revolution

heavily regulated (when possible). One regulation

– taxation to eliminate working class information (AKA Stamp Act)

More Important Dates1725 – first NYC newspaper1798 - The Sedition Act

"any false, scandalous and malicious writing...against the the Government of the United States," the Congress or the president, "with intent to...bring them...into contempt or disrepute" punishable by a fine or imprisonment.

1800 – Jefferson as president largely ignores this Act

1833 – Penny Press – human interest and short police reports (Sun by B. Day)

1848 – creation of the Associated Press (using telegraph transmissions)

The Associated Press?

In their own words:

Figures300-plus locations worldwide.

3,700 AP editorial, communications and administrative employees worldwide.

Two-thirds of AP's worldwide staff are newsgatherers.

49 Pulitzer Prizes, including 30 for photography.

The AP news report is:24 hours a day7 days a week(Updated March 1, 2010)

Post Civil War – use of Inverted pyramid as attempt to be objective

1878+ - Pulitzer's “Sensationalism” Aka Yellow Journalism Pulitzer And Hearst

1897 – regular use of photographs in papers begins