This paper examines two parallel histories in American media: the evolution of the printed newspaper and the development of radio broadcasting. The newspaper section traces developments from colonial-era provincial papers through the Revolutionary War period, the rise of party-affiliated press, the formation of the Associated Press, muckraking journalism, yellow journalism, the penny press, jazz journalism, and the eventual decline in circulation. The radio section follows the discovery of the electromagnetic spectrum through key inventors and industry figures — including Marconi, Lee de Forest, Edwin Howard Armstrong, and David Sarnoff — charting radio's transformation from a communication tool into a mass entertainment and news medium.
The newspaper has undergone a number of changes relating not only to content but also to its distribution. While much of the material found in newspapers today consists of nationally syndicated columns and a tendency toward objective analysis, newspapers were not always this way. This paper charts the history of the printed newspaper in the United States, from the early colonial papers of the pre-Revolutionary War era through their current state.
In the colonial period, newspapers were far more provincial than they are today. Different colonies had their own newspapers, and these were instrumental in shaping public opinion on topical issues. Benjamin Franklin realized that the best way to make money through newspapers was through advertisements. Papers also advertised books, which was influential in making popular thought more secular. In this period, newspapers were more literary in character than they are today.
In the Revolutionary War period, papers were erratically funded, had small circulation, and were subject to provincial laws.
During the 1800s, newspapers became affiliated with political parties. In the mid-19th century, the Associated Press was formed, and around this time a preference for objectivity began to develop. As Schudson notes, the United States was the first country that promoted objective journalism. Toward the end of the 19th century, muckraking — a form of journalism that exposed corruption — became popular.
During the 20th century, less objective trends developed, including yellow journalism, a sensationalist style of reporting; the penny press, which consisted of cheap tabloid papers that cost only one cent; and jazz journalism, which followed yellow journalism and consisted primarily of pictures with little written content. Newspaper chains and syndications were well established by 1960. In the 1970s, circulation declined and readership fell — a trend that has continued through the present day.
The history of radio broadcasting is rich with technological change from its inception through the present. Following its invention in the late 19th century, radio was used for communication, and over time it became used for entertainment as well (Regal). This section charts the progression from the discovery of the electromagnetic spectrum to radio broadcasting and the creation of news networks.
The electromagnetic spectrum was first theorized by James Clerk Maxwell, who discovered a connection between electricity and magnetism. Heinrich Rudolf Hertz then established electric circuits producing electromagnetic radiation that could be detected by circuits at a great distance. Guglielmo Marconi created long-distance radio transmission, enabling messages to be sent without connecting any wires and making it possible to transmit signals across the Atlantic. This work laid the foundation for modern radio, and radio broadcasting companies were subsequently created.
"Paley, de Forest, and Armstrong shape radio industry"
"Sarnoff and the transformation of radio broadcasting"
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