History of Newspapers - Essay Example

1. Detail the history of two newspapers. Tell me how they began, what their big stories were had how they work today. Show me how the newspaper's history reflects some of the events we studied in class.
2. Tell me how electronic news was developed. Write about six innovations and/or individuals that helped advance broadcast media. Who were these people/things? What did they invent and/or further? How did these updates help perpetuate the medium further?
3. Often journalists can make social change happen. Tell me about four such people. Who were they? What was their background? How did they get into the field? What work are they known for? How did their work affect society?

1. History of Newspapers

Originally called the New York Daily Times, the New York Times is owned and published by The New York Times Company which is an American media company. The New York Times was first published in 1851 and acquired by Adolph S. Ochs in 1896.  Adolph S. Ochs put great efforts to lead the newspaper to become internationally pre-eminent as it is today. Ochs raised the slogan "All The News That's Fit To Print" for the newspaper (Media Owners). The New York Times provides broad news coverage and provoking and intellectual opinion. Today, the New York Times is considered a high standard and the nation’s prominent newspaper. It has been granted many Pulitzers more than any other newspaper. The Times has been successful in giving direction to people without influence. The news and content provided by the newspaper cover diverse subjects, needed by different people at different times (The New York Times).

The Wall Street Journal was published by Dow Jones & Company. It has been a famous English daily issue that delivers important news to millions of people around the nation. It has become the most widely circulated newspaper in the States through connection with another newspaper USA Today. Clarence Barron purchased the Wall Street Journal in 1902. Barron's outstanding business skills and directions regarding company decisions led the Wall Street Journal to expand in circulation from 7000 to 50000 by the 1920s. The journal was launched in its online version in 1996. The Wall Street Journal is prominent in American society and capable of retaining its audience even in the current struggling economy. This journal is considered to remain one of the top publications among other newspapers in the future also regardless of any type of financial or economic crisis (Forthofer).

2. Electronic News

The traditional media switched to the online version due to the increase in online readers. However, online editions have been costly to the publishers, thus many of them initially use the Web to reprocess their printed material in a new channel. In the 1980s, America Online, Prodigy, and CompuServe introduced proprietary services which provided electronic versions of newspapers.  In 1994, the electronic version shifted to the World Wide Web (Garrison, 2005 cited in Dimitrova and Matt 2006). There are various claims about which newspaper first went online. Online newspapers get a greater advantage in using a medium that can provide its content more promptly than traditional newspapers. A common practice in online journalism today considers including links to original sources for which The Mercury News has been credited to take creative steps toward such an approach (Dimitrova and Matt 2006). Edward R. Murrow began his career at CBS in 1935 and swept the news and public affairs programming on the radio from its early stage toward growth through television in the 1950s. Murrow developed many techniques related to electronic news gathering for broadcast and exposed the abuses of power in the government which created an impact on public opinion and government policies. Murrow entered television as the on-camera host of the public affairs and seminal news program. Another senior news analyst is Cokie Roberts who has worked as a congressional correspondent in NPR News for more than 10 years. Working as a political commentator for ABC News, Roberts also provides analysis for all network news programming. She has been an important member of the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame and was also mentioned as one of the fifty greatest women in broadcasting history by the American Women in Radio and Television (Journalism Journeyman).

His newspaper circulation had rivaled Hearst which later created problems for the sensational fictions and events, so he moved to expose the truth in journalism. He was accused of printing slanderous statements against an illegal payment to the French Panama Canal Company. But since he exposed the truth, his case was put out of judicial consideration. Hunter S. Thompson had been was involved in the new journalism movement intemperately. He advocated Gonzo Journalism, which not only requires reporters to just watch and report but also to involve inaction of the story by participating in the events in reality.

One of the best investigative journalists of the present time is Seymour Hersh. Seymour Hersh is distinguished for his exclusive military links, and for his aggressive and persistently persuasive stories in journalism. He works as a writer for The New Yorker and has been the one who influenced the debate over the Iraq War to reshape. On the basis of the Iraq war contribution by Hersh, he was considered as a mudslinger and disloyal by his critics (Journalism Journeyman).