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Birth of American Newspaper

explanatory Essay
876 words
876 words
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The Birth of the American Newspaper

It has been said that the true newspaper must meet these qualifications: (1) it must be published at least once a week; (2) it must be produced by mechanical means (to distinguish it from handwritten "newes letters"); (3) it must be available to anyone willing to pay the price, regardless of class or special interest; (4) it must print anything of interest to a general public, as contrasted with some of the religious and business publications; (5) it must have an appeal to a public of ordinary literary skill; (6) it must be timely, or at least relatively so, in the light of technical development; and (7) it must have stability, as contrasted to the fly-by-night publications of more primitive times.
-Emery and Smith, 1954

Before the printing press or printing plates hand

written pamphlets were the means for communicating anything

over a distance of land or sea. Documentation, for those

who were literate, played major roles in politics long

before today’s modern Sunday Advertisers. In 1566, the

Venetian Magistracy ordered accounts of the war in Dalmatia

to be read and posted in public places. Persons interested

in this news paid a small coin, called a gazetta, for the

privilege of obtaining it. As far back as 69 BC, news sheets

known as Acta Diurna were posted in public places in Rome

(Emery and Smith, 1954)."

It might be said that the newsp...

In this essay, the author

  • Explains that the true newspaper must meet these qualifications: (1) it must be published at least once a week; (2) it has to be produced by mechanical means; (3) it should be available to anyone willing to pay the price, regardless of class or special interest.
  • Explains that handwritten pamphlets were the means for communicating anything a distance of land or sea. documentation played major roles in politics long before today’s modern sunday advertisers.
  • Explains that the newspaper was the mostsignificant contribution of the printing press. johanngutenberg introduced movable type around 1440.
  • Explains that news became a commodity, like food and merchandise,produced for profit. newspapers didn't create news; news created newspapers.
  • States that copeland claims that the american newspaper was "quietly" born on september 25, 1690. publick occurrence both foreign and domestic" was printed in boston by benjamin harris.
  • Explains that america's next chance at a newspaper was started by john campbell. the boston news-letter began on april 24, 1704.
  • Explains that campbell printed his newspaper with ity of the massachusetts government. campbell sent letters to the governors of each colony.
  • Explains that campbell never had enough subscribers to make his venture profitable. the bostonnews-letter was the only colonial newspaper from 1704 until 1719.
  • Explains that andrew was the local postmaster and son of william bradford, who was to be the publisher of the firstnewspaper in new york.
  • Explains that the colonial newspapers were printed from english newspapers and magazines brought to america. the news was notoriginal in content, and was months behind the current events.
  • Explains that benjamin franklin was the first to print news and information about the colonies themselves and not exclusively in europe.
  • Opines that benjamin franklin set the palette for today’s newspapers.
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